Parliament’s Police Ad Hoc Committee has raised concerns that decisions taken after the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) was disbanded may have disrupted investigations and delayed cases linked to political killings.
The committee, which is probing allegations of corruption in the criminal justice system, found that the removal and movement of PKTT case dockets could have hampered investigations and contributed to delays in the handling of cases.
The findings form part of the committee’s draft report, which members are expected to finalise by Friday.
The committee also scrutinised evidence from Police Minister on special leave Senzo Mchunu, identifying what members described as material inconsistencies in his testimony.
Mchunu’s directive to disband the PKTT remains one of the central issues before the committee, with members divided over aspects of the decision and allegations of possible external influence.
Committee Chairperson Soviet Lekganyane said the committee had not made any finding against the so-called “Big Five” organised-crime figures.
However, he said members agreed that dissolving the task team could potentially have aided interests pursuing similar motives.
The committee’s findings place renewed attention on the practical consequences of dismantling the specialised investigative unit, particularly the fate of cases and evidence it had been handling.
With the report deadline approaching, members will continue deliberations on Tuesday evening before reaching final agreement on their findings.
The outcome is expected to shed further light on whether the disbandment of the PKTT compromised investigations and whether accountability is warranted for decisions taken during the process.