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Lieutenant-Colonel Ntate Khumalo says the disbandment of the KwaZulu-Natal political killings task team happened suddenly as though he was being struck by lightning.
Khumalo is currently testifying about the disbandment of PKTT at the Madlanga Commission and the subsequent handing over of the 121 dockets to the head office.
The PKTT was disbanded on 31 December 2024 while the dockets were handed over to the head office in March 2025.
He says the decision to disband the unit had a negative impact on PKTT members and the victims whose cases they were investigating.
“It damaged them, it left scars. Because there were cases that were remanded to the beginning of January. There were cases that were on the trial stage. Other members were out working on the 31st when this letter surfaced. And if you are sitting with a person of interest, you are sitting with a witness and he sees this. He tells you straight away that ‘awusuke la mfowethu. Ayikho indaba yenu’,” says Khumalo.
The commission has heard how the SAPS head office missed two additional dockets from the bundle that was seized from the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team in March 2025.
This is according to Khumalo.
Earlier this year, approximately 121 dockets were seized from the PKTT for auditing, however only 92 were reviewed and inspected.
Khumalo who is being led in evidence by Advocate Adila Hassim, testified that this may have been an oversight issue.
Counsel: You’re saying now, in August, when you are inspecting the dockets being returned to you, they’re 123.
Khumalo: Those two additional dockets were slipped into others because they were these slim folders.
Counsel: But were they originally there in March when they were given to the head office?
Khumalo: Surely they were there. It’s unfortunate that we never picked them up because according to our categories, those dockets were filed as closed.
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