Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee Divided Over Whether Senzo Mchunu Disbanded PKTT To Shield Cartels
- Members of Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee continue to debate what should be included in the draft report
- Some of the members are divided over whether Senzo Mchunu was attempting to shield criminal cartels
- South Africans took to social media to weigh in on the division, sharing mixed reactions about the different opinions
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Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
WESTERN CAPE - Members of Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee have failed to reach consensus over whether Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu's directive to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) was connected to shielding organised crime cartels from investigation.
The committee members were left divided as they continued deliberating on the draft report on Thursday, 4 September 2026. KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, alleged that Mchunu wanted to disband the unit to protect criminal cartels.
Mchunu, who is the Minister of Police on special leave, has denied the allegations.
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Patriotic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters disagree
The Patriotic Alliance (PA) submitted that no credible evidence placed criminal elements behind Mchunu's decision. PA Member of Parliament (MP) Ashley Sauls argued that Mchunu's actions were a routine winding-down process. He said that the Committee could not conclude there was any intention to protect criminal cartels.
"Therefore, we as the committee are able to say we don't see any direct link between the directive and the protection of criminal elements," Sauls said.
Economic Freedom Fighters MP Leigh-Ann Mathys rejected the PA's position, arguing it effectively exonerated the Police Minister. She also warned that the committee risked contradicting its own mandate by declaring that there was no evidence of criminal infiltration.
"We can't even make a finding that there was criminal infiltration, even if there was evidence before us. So, for us to say there was no evidence for it, it defeats the whole purpose, and we are outside our mandate," Mathys said.
The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party went further, submitting that the committee should find that Mchunu misrepresented to Parliament the extent of his consultation with President Cyril Ramaphosa before issuing the directive.
How did South Africans react?
Social media users reacted sharply to the committee's impasse.
Kasi Clever said:
"He is one of them, so it's understandable."
Martin Lancefield wrote:
"What a surprising outcome. Why did they spend millions on the Ad Hoc Committee, which is a politically driven and motivated body? Shameful indeed. (Just like ignoring the Zondo commission and the Phala Phala report)."
Mduduzi Ngcobo commented:
"Ad Hoc rogue committee."
Fatshelarona Moeleso added:
"Everyone at Ad Hoc must just get a grant of disability."
Luxolo Angelo Luux Solomon claimed:
"They were fed fish and chips by Andrea Johnson, and they ate it with ease."
Ad Hoc draft report cleared Mchunu of wrongdoing
Briefly News reported that in July 2026, the Ad Hoc Committee released a draft report, detailing its findings on Mchunu.
The report found no links between the Police Minister and suspended Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya to criminal networks.
The Ad Hoc Committee was investigating claims of criminality, political interference and corruption within the criminal justice system.
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Source: Briefly News
