For the first time, South Africa’s National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola has taken the stand at the Madlanga Commission — and his testimony has been nothing short of explosive. He revealed that some councillors faked their own assassination attempts simply to secure bodyguards, exposing shocking levels of manipulation and mistrust in the system. Masemola also defended the independence of his office, saying he would refuse to carry out instructions from the Police Minister if
they strayed into operational matters — even if that decision could cost him his career. He described the disbanding of the Political Killings Task Team as a “total encroachment” on his mandate, raising new questions about the political pressures shaping South Africa’s fight against assassinations.