The Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations of police corruption today heard testimony from Deputy National Commissioner responsible for Policing, Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) Tebello Mosikili, who described the decision to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) as haphazard and improperly communicated, and one that caught her by surprise.
Lt Gen Mosikili told the committee that she was left “deeply confused” by the directive to dissolve the unit, alleging that she had been sidelined in the process. The directive was reportedly issued on 31 December 2024 by then Minister of Police, Mr Senzo Mchunu, instructing National Commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola to disband the PKTT with immediate effect. Lt Gen Mosikili was acting as National Commissioner at the time, as Gen Masemola was on leave.
The committee is probing matters arising from allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, including the alleged unlawful disbandment of the PKTT, a moratorium on filling vacancies within Crime Intelligence, and claims of corruption and political interference within the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Lt Gen Mosikili, who has 36-and-a-half years of service in SAPS, emphasised her seniority within the organisation, noting that she has acted as National Commissioner on 11 occasions, including during the period when the directive was issued. “The last acting was last week, when Commissioner Masemola was out of the country,” she told committee members. “This also happened during 2024/2025, when he was on leave in December 2024.”
She testified that she only became aware of the directive on 2 January 2025, after it had already been leaked to the media. “To be honest and frank, I became confused. I was unsure. I was also surprised and questioned the authenticity of the directive, as I could not believe the content, precisely because of the tone of the letter,” she said.
According to Lt Gen Mosikili, the decision did not follow the appropriate chain of command and lacked proper consultation with those responsible for implementing it. “It could have been best if we were convened and those affected and expected to deliver on this particular key performance indicator were aware of what would happen and what the repercussions would be,” she said. “With every operation, you need to evaluate what the impact will be. In short, it was not properly communicated. In my view, it could have been done better.”
She told the committee that just days before the directive was issued on New Year’s Eve, she had been with the Minister and Gen Masemola assessing Operation Festive Season deployments in the Eastern Cape, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. They had parted ways after attending a funeral in KwaZulu-Natal on 28 December 2024. At no stage was there mention of PKTT or any attempts to have any directive on PKTT, neither from the Minister nor Gen Masemola, she said.
She also said no impact assessment had been conducted prior to the disbandment of the task team. “When you have a national intervention team, you can’t just wake up the next morning and say the team must go back. You can’t just disband a team without consideration of all factors and drawing a clear plan of demobilising these teams, and to avoid fruitless expenditure,” she said.
She also addressed claims that the PKTT was intended to be absorbed into the Murder and Robbery Unit, referencing an earlier organisational development feasibility study. According to her testimony, the study proposed various models and was not conclusive that task teams should be dissolved in favour of a single structure. “The establishment of units depends on the challenges of each province. From time to time, you will require to supplement capacity depending on what a province is dealing with,” she emphasised.
Committee Chairperson Mr Molapi Soviet Lekganyane asked her if there were corrupt official in the SAPS, to which she responded yes. When asked if there were corrupt officials in the management of the SAPS, she responded that this is “allegedly” so.
The hearings continue today with three new witnesses.
Rajaa Azzakani
4 March 2026
Arrange a tour