JCPS Shares General Shadrack Sibiya’s Letter of PKTT Disbandment, SA in a Tailspin

• A few hours after the letter, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu reportedly wrote to disband the Political Killings Task Team suspended Deputy National Commissioner General Shadrack Sibiya's letter also went viral
• Sibiya's letter was directed to the Divisional Commissioner of Crime Intelligence and directs that the disbandment should be finalised by April
• Calls for Sibiya and Mchunu to be arrested mounted as they slammed the two top officials for their role in disbanding the PKTT

With 10 years’ experience, Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, provided insights into the criminal justice system, crime statistics, commissions of inquiry, and high-profile cases in South Africa at Daily Sun.

PRETORIA, GAUTENG — The letter that suspended Deputy National Commissioner General Shadrack Sibiya wrote to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) went viral on 26 September 2025. The letter was posted the day after Senzo Mchunu's letter also trended.

The Justice, Crime, Prevention and Security Cluster posted the letter on its @CrimeWatch_RSA X account. The letter was written on 22 April 2025, four months after Mchunu ordered the disbandment of the PKTT.

Sibiya directed the letter to the Divisional Commissioner of Crime Intelligence. Sibiya said in the letter that, in compliance with Mchunu's 31 December 2024 and subsequent directives, the process of the disbandment and deactivation of the PKTT should be finalised by 24 April 2025. He also directed that the dockets the PKTT was investigating should be transferred to the Division of Detective and Forensic Services.

Read the X letter here:

What did Mchunu's letter say?

Mchunu's letter was written on 31 December 2024. In the letter, Mchunu said that the PKTT is no longer a useful unit and said that it should be disbanded. He also ordered National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola to provide him with an update on the disbandment of the PKTT.

Mchunu and Sibiya's involvement has been at the centre of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, which began on 17 September 2025. In his testimony, Masemola gave insight into the PKTT's disbandment. He slammed Mchunu and accused him of encroaching on his duties as the National Commissioner.

Masemola also said Mchunu and Sibiya worked to protect Gauteng-based crime syndicates. He said the phone that was seized from the attempted murder-accused tendepreneur Vusimuzi Matlala's house in 2024.

What did South Africans say?

South Africans called for the duo to be arrested.

I am an Economic Freedom Fighter said:

"Sibiya and Mchunu must be arrested and kept in jail until their time to testify at the Commission and Ad Hoc committee."

LeraLove said:

"Firing or suspending is not enough. They need to spend time in jail. Any corrupt officials must receive hefty penalties for corruption."

Mr Frank Talk said:

"When is SAPS arresting Shadrack? He should be in jail."

Skeptical umuNTU said:

"The man wanted to make sure they dissolved a team that worked for years in one day and close shop like nothing ever happened."

Mother of the Nation said:

"I don't understand why he is still not arrested."

Millencia said:

"31 December. While everyone was doing last-minute shopping, making sure drinks and meats are enough, Shadrack and the gang were up to no good."

Memphis asked:

"Is it difficult to treat them like criminals? Handcuffs, a cell here and there?"

Mchunu has no power to disband PKTT

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the South African Police Service's Head of Governance, Legislation, and Police General Petronella Van Rooyen slammed Mchunu. She said that he had no power to order the disbandment of the PKTT.

Van Rooyen testified at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. She said that Mchunu interfered in the operations of the SAPS.

Source: Briefly News