'Task team disbanded when closing in on syndicates'

Mkhwanazi alleges the task team was disbanded on the brink of exposing insidious infiltration of law enforcement by criminal syndicates.

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On Thursday he detailed several cases where suspects continued to kill whistleblowers even while on bail at the behest of politicians and tenderpreneurs. Mkhwanazi said this showed the decision to disband the task team was ill-advised.

In his testimony he included recommendations to the task team by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in KwaZulu-Natal to expand its operations to combat political killings and organised crime to bolster his argument on the importance of the force.

"The immediate and adverse impact of the dissolution of the task team cannot be overstated. This is amply and succinctly set out by the director of public prosecution advocate [Elaine] Harrison in her letter that was written to me on the 10th of June 2025," Mkhwanazi said.

He said Harrison warned that disbanding the task team would also result in the dissolution of the dedicated prosecutorial team, adding his aim was to protect the value chain of the criminal justice system.

Evidence leader Mahlape Sello said Harrison's letter sets out the issues and difficulties in organised crime and provides a perspective on the justification for the task team from the NPA.

Mkhwanazi said the individuals at the high end of cases — including politicians, prosecutors and police officials — interfered in investigations. He referenced the 121 dockets that were taken from the KwaZulu-Natal task team at the start of the year but were subsequently returned recently.

On Wednesday, Mkhwanazi told the Madlanga commission that he received the directive from Mchunu to disband the task team in WhatsApp message and called it “irrational and irregular” because the now suspended minister had not received a formal briefing on its work.

Mchunu, who has denied any wrongdoing, has described the allegation as “wild”. He is expected to appear before the commission during phase two of the inquiry, when implicated individuals will respond to the allegations.