By Johnathan Paoli
Former police minister Bheki Cele has contradicted several key claims made by his successor, suspended minister Senzo Mchunu, in his testimony before parliament’s ad-hoc committee probing political interference and alleged underworld infiltration of SAPS.
Appearing under oath on Wednesday, Cele, who served as police minister from 2018 to 2024, appeared calm but assertive, often interrupting to clarify what he called “factual and procedural inaccuracies” in Mchunu’s testimony earlier this week.
Led by chief evidence leader and senior counsel Norman Arendse, Cele repeatedly dismissed suggestions that the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) was an illegal structure or that it was properly disbanded under Mchunu’s authority.
“The minister cannot go and establish or disestablish a task team; he must go through the national commissioner. Procedurally, I do not agree with it. It is not true that only the PKTT has been operating and [getting funds],” Cele said.
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