Social scientist Mary de Haas told parliament’s ad hoc committee on criminal justice infiltration on Tuesday that she had not expected police minister Senzo Mchunu to act on her complaints about the dysfunctional political killings task team (PKTT) — but his decision to disband it showed that her intervention had an effect.
That admission set the stage for her testimony, as MPs immediately shifted focus to the credibility of her evidence, pressing her on the sources behind her claims, how she gathered information from police contacts and communities, and whether her refusal to identify informants meant the committee could not verify what she was saying.
De Haas refused to disclose the names of her informants, insisting that secrecy was essential to protect lives in KwaZulu‑Natal.
“I live in a very violent province, and I have to protect people,” she said, adding that police officers and whistleblowers risked persecution or death if identified.
She warned of a “creeping culture of secrecy” within the police and criticised the PKTT for operating without transparency, citing depleted budgets and internal ballistics testing.
“Why are we doing something special for politicians?” she asked, arguing that citizens suffered while resources were diverted to political cases.
EFF MP Leigh‑Ann Mathys said the committee “can’t listen to stories we can’t verify”, while MK party MP Sibonelo Nomvalo accused De Haas of “arrogance” and warned: “We have no time for gossiping here.”
ActionSA MP Dereleen James added, “This is not story time or a history lesson about the 1990s. We need names.”
DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach defended De Haas, noting that most testimony before the committee was hearsay and that naming sources publicly would silence whistleblowers. ANC MP Soviet Lekganyane, the chair, urged members to respect De Haas as a senior citizen but reminded her that parliament’s findings were binding.
De Haas maintained her sources were irrelevant to the committee’s work, stressing she had already provided letters and affidavits to parliament and that the Madlanga commission had the investigative capacity to pursue sensitive leads.
Read: Half of provinces without police intelligence bosses over impasse, Dumisani Khumalo tells probe
She also explained that she had not approached the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac) because she did not know that she could, arguing sensitive leads should be pursued by the Madlanga commission, which could better protect informants.
Beyond secrecy, De Haas raised operational concerns. She urged audits of police firearms and KwaZulu‑Natal policing budgets, noting reports from officers of vehicle shortages following crime intelligence leadership changes.
She alleged that the PKTT relied on warrantless searches, phone seizures, and “fabrication of evidence” and described community accounts of abuse and fear among officers tied to high‑profile cases.
Committee tensions surfaced as members acknowledged De Haas’s letter as a “trigger” for Mchunu’s decision to disband the PKTT, while divisions deepened over her refusal to disclose names — even in camera.
Lekganyane reiterated that the committee could apply for closed sessions to receive sensitive information, but De Haas declined, insisting that safety concerns overrode disclosure.
Recommended:
‘Messy handover’ derailed KZN task team’s 121 murder cases
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.