IN FULL: Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s sworn statement submitted to Parliament

Summary of the affidavit

This document is the witness statement of Edward Senzo Mchunu, submitted to an Ad Hoc Parliamentary Committee investigating allegations made against him by Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner. Appointed Minister of Police on June 30, 2024, and suspended on July 13, 2025, Mchunu defends his actions, particularly his directive to disband the National Political Killings Task Team (NPKTT), as lawful executive oversight rather than corrupt political interference.

Constitutional Authority and Legality of the NPKTT

Mchunu begins by asserting his constitutional authority as Minister of Police. He argues that the Constitution grants him the power to determine national policing policy and issue directives to the National Commissioner to ensure political oversight and public control over the police service.

He then challenges the legal standing of the NPKTT itself. Mchunu contends that the task team was effectively rendered obsolete by a 2019 SAPS work study approved by former National Commissioner General Sithole. This study recommended establishing permanent, specialised units, including a Murder and Robbery Unit, to absorb the functions of various temporary task teams like the NPKTT. Furthermore, he states that after 2022, the yearly extensions required for the NPKTT's continued operation and funding were never granted, rendering its existence and expenditure irregular under the Public Finance Management Act.

Mchunu reinforces this by citing a March 2024 evaluation report ("SM2") that observed task teams were "running rampant for years without" proper oversight and recommended that the NPKTT's functions be transferred to the permanent Murder and Robbery Unit. He notes that National Commissioner Masemola himself signed this report in June 2025 with the comment, "Implementation of the Units must be expedited," making the subsequent surprise at the disbandment directive disingenuous.

Reasons for the 31 December 2024 Directive

Mchunu outlines several key reasons that informed his December 31, 2024, directive to disband the NPKTT, halt appointments in Crime Intelligence, and review security at ports of entry.

Allegations of Abuse and Misconduct

A significant factor was the substantial body of evidence and complaints he received regarding abuse of power by the NPKTT.

* Mary De Haas: A crime and violence research fellow, De Haas sent multiple complaints to Mchunu's office and Parliament calling for the NPKTT's immediate disbandment, citing it as a "wasteful team" that achieved "virtually nothing in six years except, perhaps, to cover up for politicians". She highlighted its lack of transparency, questionable successes, and routine use of the heavily armed National Intervention Unit (NIU) for arrests, which she deemed irregular and abusive.

* Patricia Mashale: Mchunu details numerous social media posts from this whistleblower and former police officer, which made damning allegations of corruption, criminality, and nepotism within SAPS Crime Intelligence and the NPKTT. Mashale implicated senior generals, including Khumalo (head of the NPKTT and Crime Intelligence) and Lushaba, in covering up crimes, forging security clearances, and capturing Crime Intelligence by appointing friends and family.

* The Fort Hare Investigation: Mchunu points to the NPKTT's highly controversial arrest of forensic lawyers Sarah Burger and Bradley Conradie as a prime example of its abuse of power. The lawyers were investigating high-level corruption at the University of Fort Hare, including academic fraud allegations against Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane. Their "Hollywood-style" arrest involved around 24 armed officers and a private jet, which Mchunu viewed as an act of political intimidation to silence their investigation.

Strategic and Budgetary Concerns

Mchunu states his decision was also based on strategic and financial considerations. He believed it was inefficient to focus resources on a temporary task team for political murders when the country faced an exceptionally high murder rate overall. He advocated for integrating the NPKTT's skills into permanent, budgeted structures like the Murder and Robbery Unit. This aligned with internal SAPS recommendations to avoid task teams operating in "silos" without proper budgetary oversight. Budget documents show that a request for R94.8 million for the NPKTT for 2024/2025 had already been drastically reduced to R20 million by SAPS financial management, with a recommendation for the team's deactivation.

Rebuttal of Corruption Allegations

Mchunu directly refutes Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi’s central allegation: that the NPKTT was disbanded to protect business interests, specifically those of Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala and Brown Mogotsi.

Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala and the R360 Million Tender

Mkhwanazi claimed the disbandment was linked to a R360 million SAPS healthcare contract awarded to Matlala's company. Mchunu counters this forcefully, stating he first learned of the tender from a News24 article on December 20, 2024. He immediately questioned National Commissioner Masemola, who initially defended the award. However, after a briefing on December 24, 2024, where internal auditors confirmed the tender was irregular, Mchunu personally directed that it be cancelled. He argues that it is "preposterous and outrageous" to suggest he was protecting Matlala when he was responsible for terminating his improperly awarded contract. He includes an affidavit from Matlala stating they have never met.

Brown Mogotsi

Mchunu denies any corrupt relationship with Brown Mogotsi, stating he knows him only as a "fellow comrade" from the ANC, not a close associate. He addresses the accusation that he misled Parliament about knowing Mogotsi by clarifying the context of his statement and his distinction between a "comrade" and a business "associate".

Position of the National Commissioner

Mchunu argues that National Commissioner Masemola initially supported and complied with the directive. On January 22, 2025, Masemola submitted a Disbandment Report outlining a plan to phase out the NPKTT without objection. Mchunu also cites Masemola's sworn affidavit in a separate court case, where Masemola stated he "accepted that the directive fell within the oversight powers of the Minister". Mchunu suggests Masemola's subsequent change in testimony was due to pressure from Mkhwanazi. The submitted documents show a clear, documented process of handover of NPKTT dockets from Lt-Gen Khumalo to Lt-Gen Senthumele, overseen by Lt-Gen Sibiya, in the months following the directive.

In conclusion, Mchunu maintains that his directive was a lawful, well-founded managerial decision aimed at implementing existing SAPS policy, improving efficiency, and addressing rampant allegations of misconduct within the NPKTT and Crime Intelligence.

Download and read the full affidavit below