Parliament’s portfolio committee on police failed to act on the corruption allegations in the criminal justice system presented to it by KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in March this year.
This was revealed by Maj-Gen Petronella Margaretha van Rooyen, who is the head of governance, legislation and policy at the Legal Services of the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Van Rooyen was speaking on Thursday during the sixth day of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into criminality, political interference and corruption. The commission’s public hearings are taking place at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria.
The commission of inquiry is chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.
SAPS legislative framework
Van Rooyen was giving expert testimony on the legislative framework governing the SAPS.
During her testimony on Thursday, Van Rooyen told the commission’s chief evidence leader, Adv Terry Motau SC, that parliament’s portfolio committee on police failed to act on the allegations of corruption within the criminal justice system that Mkhwanazi presented before it during a committee meeting on March 5 2025.
During the March 5 virtual committee meeting, Mkhwanazi told parliament about allegations of criminality, political interference and corruption in the criminal justice system.
Mkhwanazi also told parliament about Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s December 31 2024 letter to disband the KZN SAPS political killings task team (PKTT).
“The portfolio committee did not act and failed to fulfil its mandate. It failed to act on the allegations General Mkhwanazi presented before it in March. It failed to do oversight,” said Van Rooyen.
After the March parliament portfolio committee meeting, Mkhwanazi addressed a bombshell press conference on July 6. He spoke about allegations of criminality, political interference and corruption in the criminal justice system.
Earlier, Van Rooyen said Mchunu, who is on special leave, had no authority to disband the KZN PKTT.
Mchunu not authorised to disband task team
“The direction was not supported by any legal authority. It was bordering on the operations of the police service. The minister deals with policy issues and not operations of the police service. It is the National Commissioner of Police who deals with operational issues.
“The decision by the minister to close the political killings task team fell outside his mandate and authority. [It] strayed onto operational matters. The minister does not have legal powers and authority to disband the task team,” said Van Rooyen.
Van Rooyen is the commission’s third witness.
National Commissioner of Police Gen Fannie Masemola testified on Monday and Tuesday.
Mkhwanazi was the commission’s first witness. He concluded his testimony last week Friday after testifying for three days.
The commission was established by President Cyril Ramaphosa on July 13 after Mkhwanazi’s explosive media briefing on July 6. During the briefing, he said politicians in parliament, police officers, metro police officers, correctional service officials, prosecutors and members of the judiciary are part of a criminal syndicate in Gauteng. And that they are controlled by drug cartels and business people in Gauteng.
Mkhwanazi said Mchunu and deputy national commissioner of police for crime detection, Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya, took a decision to disband the political killings task team because it raided the house of controversial Gauteng tenderpreneur and attempted murder-accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. And because the task team was making inroads in certain Gauteng cases.
The commission continues.
