Political Killings Task Team 'delivered' in slain politician's case, says friend

THE six suspects charged with the murder of prominent Pietermaritzburg former ANC councillor Musawenkosi Mchunu would still be at large without the existence of the police’s Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).

This is according to Mchunu’s friend, Themba Ngubane, who expressed surprise that the task team was at some point disbanded for what he described as “political interference to protect certain people”. 

Mchunu, known as Qashana, was killed in 2018 during the height of tension among members of different factions in the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal. The suspects in his case were former Msunduzi Municipality ward 10 councillor, Thokozani Gambu, his cousin Gift Zungu, Ayanda Ngubane, former ANC branch secretary Sifiso Mbelu, and Skhanyiso and Mlungisi Zimu. 

The Pietermaritzburg High Court granted the alleged killers bail of R10,000 each in August 2019 and the trial is ongoing

His murder was one of the cases that were investigated by the PKTT. 

While at Mchunu’s home in KwaPata to pay tribute to his family a few days after the murder, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the establishment of a law enforcement Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) to intervene in investigating political related killings.  

The committee was made up of ministers of State Security, Defence, Justice, Correctional Services, and Police. 

This was the birth of the PKTT which since 2018, has investigated 321 dockets linked to political killings KwaZulu-Natal including the murder of  former ANC Youth League secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa in 2017. That investigation led to the hitman, Sbusiso Ncengwa, being handed a 25 year sentence in July.  

Seven years after he was killed, Mchunu’s murder was mentioned at both the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and Ad-Hoc Committee, which are both investigating KwaZulu-Natal police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s allegations of political interference in having the PKTT disbanded by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on December 31 , 2024.

Mkhwanazi alleged that the PKTT was disbanded to protect certain businessmen, including Brown Mogotsi and Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, who are allegedly leaders of major drug cartels, from being investigated by the task team in Gauteng. 

Ngubane said the task team also investigated the murder of SACP and ANC activist Mhlengi Khumalo. 

When asked to comment on the delays in finalising Mchunu’s murder trial, Ngubane blamed the justice system. 

“The justice system is not doing what it should be doing because the suspects were arrested,” he said.

Ngubane said some of their own branch leaders were among the accused in Mchunu’s murder. 

He said he had lost track of the trial because of the delays. 

“I heard Mkhwanazi telling the Madlanga Commission that the trial will be heard in court early next year. I had stopped following the trial, but the accused live in the area,” said Ngubane.

Mchunu’s brother, Bongumusa Mchunu, was approached for comment but said he would only do so after consulting with his family. 

Cape Times