uspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on Tuesday began his long-awaited testimony before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into political killings in KwaZulu-Natal, reading a prepared statement without facing immediate questioning.
Appearing in person at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria, Mchunu addressed the establishment, operations and his controversial decision to disband the specialised Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) by letter in December 2024.
Due to scheduling constraints, the commission—chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Sisi Khampepe—allowed Mchunu to deliver his evidence in two phases. He read his statement uninterrupted on Tuesday and is scheduled to return on Thursday afternoon for cross-examination by evidence leaders and legal representatives of implicated parties.
The PKTT had been probing more than 120 politically motivated assassinations in KwaZulu-Natal, the majority of which remain unsolved. Previous testimony before the commission highlighted how internal police factionalism, political interference and resource constraints had hampered investigations. Witnesses have expressed concern that the abrupt dissolution of the dedicated task team late last year jeopardised several high-profile cases.
Mchunu’s appearance before the commission coincides with his continued suspension from the police portfolio by President Cyril Ramaphosa over separate, unrelated allegations.
The commission is expected to wrap up public hearings early in 2026 before finalising its report and recommendations to the Presidency.