Durban - Police Minister Bheki Cele wants his task team that is investigating political killings in KwaZulu-Natal to explain their failure to secure convictions after suspects in another high profile murder were let off the hook last week.
The Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday withdrew murder charges against six men who had been charged with the killing of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s staunch supporter Msawenkosi Mchunu last year.
Cele’s spokesperson Lirandzu Themba said Cele was expecting a report from the task team with regard to withdrawal of charges in the Mchunu murder case.
Themba said Cele still had "full" confidence in the task team as he was satisfied with its progress.
"Not withstanding hiccups which are much less than the gains that have been made.
"He (Cele) further states that the President today has even expressed how the murder rate has decreased in KZN since the installation of the task team and believes through improved working relations with the NDPP he is sure that the team will achieve its set targets," said Themba.
Criminal expert Professor Johan Burger said the withdrawal of charges was an indication that the criminals were professionals who were able to outrun the task team, which had representatives of the State Security Agency, National Prosecuting Authority, Hawks and justice.
KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Kara did not respond to questions sent to her.