The chairperson of South Africa’s civilian police watchdog, Firoz Cachalia, has expressed deep concern about the reported return of critical dockets relating to political killings, warning that such moves could undermine justice and further erode public confidence in the state’s ability to tackle politically motivated crimes.
Cachalia, who leads the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service (CSPS), noted that South Africa has been grappling with an alarming rise in political violence, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, where assassinations linked to internal party battles, municipal contracts, and factional disputes have become disturbingly common. According to monitoring bodies, dozens of politicians, activists, and community leaders have lost their lives in what analysts describe as a toxic blend of crime, politics, and corruption.
The concerns stem from reports that some of the investigation dockets into these killings have been sent back to the police by prosecutors for “further investigation”, a move Cachalia fears could open loopholes for interference, tampering, or even deliberate stalling. “We cannot afford a justice system where cases of political killings are treated casually or allowed to disappear into bureaucratic delays,” he warned, emphasizing the need for accountability and transparency in the handling of such sensitive files.
Cachalia stressed that the integrity of the criminal justice chain—from investigation to prosecution—must be beyond reproach, especially when it comes to political killings that strike at the heart of democracy. He urged the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to strengthen coordination, improve evidence management, and insulate investigators from political pressure.
Civil society groups and opposition parties have long raised red flags about the slow pace of justice in cases of political assassinations, arguing that perpetrators often act with impunity because of weak investigations, intimidation of witnesses, or compromised officials. In response, the government has created a multi-disciplinary task team to prioritize such cases, but critics argue that progress remains uneven.
For Cachalia, the stakes could not be higher. “When citizens see political leaders gunned down and no consequences follow, it sends a dangerous message that violence pays and democracy is negotiable,” he said, calling for urgent reforms in investigative capacity, prosecutorial independence, and witness protection.
As South Africa prepares for upcoming local and national elections, analysts warn that the risk of political killings may increase, particularly in areas where competition for positions and resources is most intense. Cachalia’s intervention is therefore seen as both a warning and a rallying cry for the state to act decisively before more lives are lost.
