Friends in high places: This week the Madlanga Commission heard testimony from police officials accused of
leaking information to Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala and acting as middlemen with senior police officials. Photo: GCIS
South African Police Service (SAPS) section head for quality management Rachel Matjeng testified that while she was in a romantic relationship with businessman and alleged leader of the Big Five cartel Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala she was not aware of his criminal activities.
This week the Madlanga Commission investigating claims of political interference and criminality in the justice system heard testimony from police officials accused of leaking information to Matlala and acting as middlemen with senior police officials.
Matjeng denied any involvement in the awarding of a R360 million police healthcare tender contract to Matlala. She said she was not part of the adjudication panel which awarded the contract. She said she had disclosed her relationship with Matlala to her superior officers.
She told the commission that she had “an on and off romantic relationship” with Matlala since 2017, adding any money she received from him were gifts from a partner. Matjeng said she used a different account for the financial gifts to discourage the perception that it was payments.
“None of the gifts or monies received from him were related to me having an influence on the awarding of the tender or the execution thereof,” she said.
She said Matlala would often complain to her about late payments and police non-compliance in the healthcare tender. However, she said she kept her professional life and relationship separate. Matjeng said Matlala was never arrested or convicted of any crime during their relationship.
“I have never experienced any evil side which is being portrayed currently and I know him as a humble, respectful and romantic person,” she said.
Matljeng testified that she once relayed messages between Matlala and former national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane. Through texts sent via Matjeng the pair agreed to meet at “the same spot”.
The commission is expected to submit its second report to President Cyril Ramaphosa in March. Ramaphosa adopted the commission’s interim report recommending further investigation and prosecution of several high-ranking police officials linked to Matlala.
From Monday to Wednesday, Witness F – a member of the SAPS Organised Crime unit – testified that although he relayed messages between Matlala and Sibiya, he was not aware what the contents of the texts were about.
“To be honest with you commissioners, I did not ask what was going on there. I just received that message from Matlala, then I immediately forwarded it to General Sibiya,” said Witness F.
Witness F sent Matlala the contact information of deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya. The anonymous witness denied introducing alleged criminal boss Matlala to a high-ranking police official.
A series of WhatsApp messages from March 2024 show that Witness F acted as a middleman between Matlala and Sibiya. He coordinated what appears to be either a gift of impalas from Matlala to Sibiya.
Witness F further directed the sale of impalas from an individual called “Rudi Farm Manager” who alerted him that the animals were ready to be transported. He said he wasn’t aware that he was a “go between” for criminal activity but simply relayed messages.
He said either Matlala or Sibiya would contact him when they could not reach the other.
In another series of texts, Matlala sent Witness F a case number from Mamelodi East police station. The case involved an unsolved murder where 50 cartridge cases were found at the scene in which Matlala was a person of interest.
Witness F then sent Matlala information about the officers handling the case. He said Matlala said he requested the information on behalf of a female relative. Witness F stated Matlala misled him by saying the case number was in regard to a domestic abuse case.
WhatsApp text evidence was presented to the commission which shows Witness F facilitating the sale of guns to former deputy president David Mabuza. Witness F said the contact belonged to his nephew, Simphiwe Mabuza and that he had simply saved the number using the name “DD Mabuza”.
However, evidence leader William Chaskalson and the inquiry panel were not convinced by the witness’s explanation.
Witness F received a sale request from the “DD Mabuza” WhatsApp account for various types of guns — 12 gauge shotgun and 750 units in knock down components with accompanying ammunition.
When asked if he facilitated the arms deal for either the former deputy president or his nephew, Witness F stated although he requested to test the guns, the sale never went through.
The inquiry panel questioned Witness F about a series of communication he relayed between “DD Mabuza” and Steve Motsumi — a private security owner previously linked to Matlala by KwaZulu-Natal head of Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) Lesetja Senona.
Witness F also facilitated meetings between Sibiya and Motsumi. He stated he would give them space to discuss “whatever they were talking about” and is now aware of their business dealings. The texts show Sibiya meeting with Jothan Zanemvila “King Mswazi” , a Pretoria taxi boss.
SAPS head of Organised Crime Richard Shibiri is also implicated in the text messages. Witness F relayed messages regarding Shibiri’s attendance to a “thanksgiving ceremony” at Sibiya’s house. Numerous police witnesses have testified that the event was organised to influence officials investigating the murder of Armand Swart — a Vereeniging engineer believed to be a whistleblower in a Transnet tender scandal.
Swart’s murder led to the involvement of the political killings task team which uncovered Matlala’s role. Shortly thereafter Matlala and Katiso Molefe’s houses were raided by a joint task team between Gauteng organised crime unit and the KwaZulu-Natal-based task team.
Senior police officials have testified that the raid then led to suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu disbanding the task team at the behest of Matlala and Molefe. Sibiya removed 123 dockets from the task team, a move witnesses have said was meant to remove Matlala and Molefe’s names from the dockets.
The inquiry also heard that Witness F facilitated a meeting between Matlala and Sibiya while he acted as national police commissioner. Matlala approached Sibiya for assistance in a lease dispute for his R360 million police healthcare tender.
Witness F testified that he would forward messages because Sibiya’s phone would often be off. He said he was not privy to the details of the conversations.
The text messages also show Sibiya sending Matlala a warrant of arrest documents for social media influencer Musa Khawula. Khawula was arrested for cybersecurity crimes by posting allegations of criminality by high-ranking government officials, politicians and police officers.
Witness F testified that there was political pressure from deputy police minister Cassel Mathale for the immediate arrest of Khawula. Witness F said Sibiya wanted Matlala to use his security company to keep tabs on and even arrest Khawula.
The anonymous police witness said the only money he ever received from Matlala was R15 000 for a motorbike convoy during an event in Mamelodi. However, evidence leader Chaskalson pointed to Matlala’s credit card which Witness F used and R20 000 from Matlala’s security company sent to his account.
Witness F said the funds transfer from Matlala were a sign of appreciation.
Businessman and ANC member Suliman Carrim has lodged an urgent court bid to block his appearance at the Madlanga Commission. The inquiry seeks to explore WhatsApp evidence between Carrim and Matlala.
The commission has heard evidence of numerous ANC members and politicians implicated in criminal activity with Matlala.