Deputy Minister of Police Cassel Mathale will appear before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee on Tuesday, 28 October 2025, and Wednesday, 29 October 2025.
The sessions form part of the inquiry into allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Mathale is the sixth witness to testify before the committee, following last week’s appearance by former Police Minister Bheki Cele.
The committee hearings will take place in Committee Room M46 at the Marks Building in Cape Town from 11:00 SAST.
Mathale, who has been Deputy Minister of Police since May 2019, previously served under then-Minister Cele.
His testimony is expected to address internal operations within the South African Police Service (SAPS), particularly concerning the now-disbanded Political Killings Task Team.
That task team was originally established to investigate politically motivated murders in KwaZulu-Natal but was dissolved under current Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who has since been placed on special leave.
Born in Tzaneen in 1961, Cassel Charlie Mathale began his political career during the anti-apartheid movement and became a prominent figure within the African National Congress (ANC).
He served as Premier of Limpopo from 2009 to 2013 before joining the National Assembly. Mathale was later appointed Deputy Minister of Small Business Development in 2018 and then Deputy Minister of Police a year later under President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration.
Last week’s testimony by Cele drew significant public interest. During his appearance, Cele denied authorising the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team.
He told the committee that “no decision was ever made to dissolve the team,” and that operational continuity had been maintained during his tenure.
Cele’s comments appeared to contradict the version of events presented by Minister Mchunu, who claimed that the decision to dissolve the team was taken before he assumed office but had not yet been implemented.
Cele’s testimony also drew attention for his remarks about forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan, whom he described as an “influential octopus” involved in multiple matters related to law enforcement oversight.
Cele criticised O’Sullivan’s involvement in police-related affairs and questioned his credibility during his testimony before Parliament’s committee.
Mathale’s appearance is expected to clarify the operational details of the Political Killings Task Team and the internal communication processes between police leadership and the ministry.
His insights may also shed light on how decisions were made at senior levels of SAPS under both Cele and Mchunu’s leadership.
Members of the public can follow the proceedings live below:
