'I assumed it was fake until the Minister called me' — Boshielo on PKTT fallout
Police deputy minister Pauline Boshielo: Political Killings Task Team Disbandment 'Could Have Been Handled Differently'
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Deputy Minister of Police Dr Paulina Shela Boshielo expressed deep disappointment over the controversial disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), stating that the matter could have been handled differently.
The PKTT, established to investigate politically motivated murders, was disbanded by suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on December 31, 2024, a move that has raised serious concerns about the independence and effectiveness of policing efforts in politically sensitive cases.
Appearing before the Ad Hoc Committee investigating alleged political interference in the South African Police Service (SAPS), Boshielo told the committee on Tuesday that she only became aware of the directive when it appeared on social media.
"I became aware of the Minister‘s letter and directive, which was issued on December 31, 2024, while it was circulating on social media," she testified.
“I assumed it was fake until the Minister called me on January 6 this year to confirm it was indeed authentic and authored by him.”
Her frustration was palpable over the lack of consultation with her office.
“I thought that as Deputy Minister, maybe he would have discussed it with us, but perhaps as executive authority, he felt he didn’t have to. I was a little disappointed,” Boshielo said.
Boshielo further emphasised that decisions of such magnitude require collaboration between executive authority and the accounting officer—in this case, the National Commissioner of SAPS.
“I said there should be two processes because officers who come into office, both executive authority and accounting officer, should work together and agree on processes,” she insisted.
The disbandment alarmed Kwazulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, whose allegations of syndicate infiltration partly prompted the committee’s formation, warning that dismantling the PKTT threatens ongoing investigations into political assassinations.
Highlighting internal communication challenges within SAPS, Boshielo reflected, “We raised concerns that the Minister and National Commissioner are not talking as much as they should, frustrating senior managers.”
The Deputy Minister stressed the vital need for transparent and collaborative decision-making to restore public confidence in the police service at this critical juncture.
The 11-member Ad Hoc Committee, established after Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi’s allegations surfaced, began hearings on October 7, 2025, to investigate the influence of a sophisticated crime syndicate - dubbed the ‘Big-five’ - on key law enforcement and intelligence structures.
Mkhwanazi’s testimony detailed alleged links between high-profile figures and suspects such as Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, an alleged drug lord, while raising grave concerns about the impact of the PKTT’s disbandment on politically sensitive murder investigations.
thabo.makwakwa@inl.co.za
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