Acting Deputy National Commissioner General Hilda Senthumule Disagrees With PKTT Disbandment

• The South African Police Service's Acting Deputy National Commissioner General Hilda Senthumule testified before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry
• She appeared in the Commission set up to investigate the alleged infiltration of the criminal justice system
• She commented on the Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu's decision to disband the Political Killings Task Team

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 South African Police Service (SAPS) acting National Commissioner General Hilda Senthumula said Police Minister Senzo Mchunu's decision to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) was illogical and she disagreed with it.

Senthumula testified before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on 28 November 2025. She appeared at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Tshwane, where the Commission's public hearings are being held.

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Senthumula said that the disbandment of the PKTT was a gross oversight. She said it was a lesson for SAPS to ask questions about a given order and not accept it blindly. She said that she heard that the 121 dockets, which were removed from the PKTT, were sent to the Head Office of the SAPs for verification. She disputed the allegation.

Acting Deputy SAPS Commissioner on PKTT disbandment

Senthumula said that the dockets were brought to the Head Office for a proper handover from the PKTT to the detectives. She said the handover process was not necessary and could have been done with the involvement of KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. She said the decision to disband the PKTT was irrational and suspiciously calculated, given Mkhwanazi's exclusion.

"As the PC (Provincial Commissioner), he is best placed to evaluate the effectiveness or lack thereof of teams within his province. General Mkhwanazi was completely unaware of the disbandment plan, and the moment he learned of it, he objected to it," she said.

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What you need to know about the Political Killings Task Team

• National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola praised the Political Killings Task Team while testifying before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry
• SAPS's head of Governance, Legislation and Police General Petronella Van Rooyen said Mchunu did not have the powers to disband the PKTT
• Former Interpol ambassador Andy Mashaile slammed Mchunu for the disbandment of the PKTT and accused him of bypassing protocols
• Former Police Minister Bheki Cele disagreed with the PKTT's disbandment and said Mchunu did not follow proper procedure
• The Minister of Police, Firoz Cachalia, questioned Mchunu's decision to disband the PKTT and argued that there should have been a consultation process

NPA KZN boss wasn't informed about disbandment

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the head of the National Prosecuting Authority in KwaZulu-Natal also testified before the Commission. She said she was left in the dark about the PKTT's disbandment.

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Advocate Elaine Harrison said that she learned of the disbandment on social media. She said the news of the disbandment emerged at a time when the PKTT was making progress in probing killings.

Source: Briefly News