KZN DPP Elaine Harrison Testifies Before Madlanga Commission, Raises Alarm Over Political Killings Task Team

PRETORIA – The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into political killings is today hearing crucial testimony from KwaZulu-Natal’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Advocate Elaine Harrison, who has raised urgent concerns about the status and mandate of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).

Harrison tabled a letter dated 10 June 2025, which she had addressed to KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. The correspondence highlighted her office’s uncertainty over whether the PKTT had been formally disbanded — despite multiple media reports suggesting so.

READ: EXCLUSIVE: The Letter That Killed South Africa's Political Killings Task Team

Letter Raises Doubts Over Task Team’s Existence

The letter, now before the Commission as an official annexure, reveals Harrison’s frustration that her office, and even the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), had not been formally notified about the Task Team’s disbandment.

“It is of concern that this office remains unsure of what the correct position is regarding the existence of this team,” Harrison wrote.
“My office cannot retain dedicated prosecutorial capacity where there is no dedicated SAPS Task Team.”

Her evidence indicates that although dockets were collected by investigators, the status of the PKTT remains murky — with conflicting signals about whether members are still operating under its mandate.

Rising Political Violence Ahead of 2026 Elections

Harrison’s testimony also underscored the looming 2026 local government elections, warning that such periods are historically marked by a surge in political violence.

According to her letter, this violence has included:

• Murder and attempted murder
• Assault and intimidation
• Malicious property damage

The DPP emphasized that KwaZulu-Natal, a hotspot for politically linked killings, cannot afford institutional uncertainty over the Task Team at such a volatile time.

Building and Sustaining Prosecutorial Capacity

Harrison reminded the Commission that since 2019, her office has worked with SAPS and government ministries to establish a dedicated prosecutorial unit for political killings.

This included:

• Assigning the Organised Crime Component (OCC) to manage politically related cases.
• Developing the Integrated Strategic Plan for Investigation and Prosecution of Politically Related Cases in KZN.
• Establishing a dedicated court system to streamline high-profile political murder trials.

The effort, she noted, has yielded several successful prosecutions and ongoing trials. However, without clarity on the Task Team’s existence, the entire prosecutorial framework is now under threat.

READ: Madlanga Commission Day 6: SAPS Legal Head Petronella Van Rooyen Testifies on PKTT Disbandment Controversy

Call for Urgent Clarity from SAPS

In conclusion, Harrison told the Commission that her office cannot plan for the 2025/2026 prosecutorial year while questions about the PKTT remain unanswered.

If the Task Team no longer exists, she said, all new politically related cases would be redirected to Chief Prosecutors in local jurisdictions — effectively dismantling the centralised prosecutorial capacity created to address KZN’s political killings crisis. The Commission continues to hear testimony, with the spotlight firmly on whether the Political Killings Task Team still exists, and whether political or administrative decisions have compromised the fight against politically motivated violence.