121 Dockets To Be Returned to the Political Killings Task Team, SA Excited

• South African Police Service National Commissioner Fannie Masemola provided an update about the 121 dockets that were taken from the Political Killings Task Team
• Suspended Deputy National Commissioner General Shadrack Sibiya ordered that the dockets be delivered to his desk in March 2025 after he tried to disband the Task Team
• Masemola said that the dockets would be returned to the Task Team, and South Africans saluted his announcement

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE — The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, General Fannie Masemola, said on 28 August 2025 in Cape Town, Western Cape, that the 121 dockets that were taken from the Political Killings Task Team were returned to that task team.

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Masemola spoke on the sidelines of the 27th Interpol African Regional Conference. Masemola said the Political Killings Task Team must be allowed to continue its investigations into the dockets. He added that the dockets are complex and vary between murder, attempted murder, and intimidation. He said he was not expecting arrests soon.

What is the Task Team's status?

Masemola said that the Task Team is continuing its investigation even though it was in the process of being dismantled. He said that SAPS will be beefing up the team with extra investigators. It will be launching a Political Killings Task Team unit in Gauteng in the next four weeks. He added that it will be operating similarly to its KwaZulu-Natal counterpart.

What do we know about the Task Team?

KwaZulu-Natal's Provincial Commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi revealed on 6 July 2025 that the suspended Deputy National Commissioner General Shadrack Sibiya dismantled the Political Killings Task Team after allegedly receiving orders from Senzo Mchunu. He said that the dismantling of the team took place because the Task Team was investigating a drug syndicate which infiltrated the criminal justice system.

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Masemola confirmed that he was not aware of the Task Team's dismantling. He said that the letter which Sibiya issued was written in his absence while he was on leave.

The Political Killings Task Team recently arrested a former municipal manager who was linked to the murder of former African National Congress Youth League Secretary General Sindiso Magaqa. Magaqa was killed in 2022 in KwaZulu-Natal for uncovering corruption at the Umzimkhulu Local Municipality.

South Africans excited

Netizens commenting on X celebrated the developments and discussed them.

Bronx said:

"Oh, the games the politicians play. This will be fun to watch."

Moses Ramafalo asked:

"Why were they taken away from the Task Team in the first place?"

Ceboz said:

"Arrest that fraud O'Sullivan. He was against Mkhwanazi for exposing these missing files."

PG Nkambule said:

"They must start arresting all those implicated, including their bosses."

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Gandaganda said:

"Sibiya is boiling wherever he is."

Political Killings Task Team makes arrests

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the Political Killings Task Team arrested two suspects in connection with the death of Democratic Alliance councillor Nhlalayenza Ndlovu. Ndlovu was killed in December 2023.

The suspects were arrested on 30 July 2025 after three other suspects were arrested. The three suspects appeared before the Howick Magistrates Court on 31 July 2025.

Source: Briefly News