North West businessman Brown Mogotsi told the Madlanga commission on Tuesday that KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi actively worked for the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency.(Screenshot from SABC News)
North West businessman Brown Mogotsi told the Madlanga commission on Tuesday that KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi actively worked for the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Mogotsi also told the commission, set up by President Cyril Ramaphosa to look into Mkhwanazi’s allegations of corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system, that he himself was a police informant and a crime intelligence “contact agent”.
“During my clandestine investigations, I uncovered criminal activities; as a result, my scope of my work expanded. There was a suspicion that Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi was recruited by the CIA and actively worked for them,” Mogotsi said.
Mogotsi’s testimony kicked off the second phase of the Madlanga Commission, where implicated persons will respond to Mkhwanazi’s corruption allegations — first made during a media briefing in July.
He alleged that because Mkhwanazi had received a degree at an American university, he had been given orders to use the KwaZulu-Natal-based political killings task team at the centre of the inquiry to intimidate government officials and advance Western interests. He also accused King MisuZulu ka Zwelithini of being a CIA agent.
Mogotsi told the commission he started his career in 1993 at the intelligence division for the ANC’s former military wing, uMkhonto weSizwe and later became a police informant. He now works as a crime intelligence “contact agent”, Mogotsi added.
Senior police officials, however, have told the commission that Mogotsi operated as the middleman between suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu and Gauteng-based criminal cartels.
Crime Intelligence boss Dumisani Khumalo previously presented WhatsApp evidence to the commission, where Mogotsi solicited funds from murder accused and alleged leader of the Big Five cartel Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala.
Mogotsi said this was part of “legend building” — a skill set used by crime intelligence agents who create false identities to get close to suspects and retrieve information. He alleged that he had used the tactic against Mkhwanazi.
“It is to create a false life, you create the perception so someone can start speaking to you,” he said.
Mkhwanazi told the commission he was surprised that a civilian such as Mogotsi seemed to own confidential police information and claimed crime intelligence leaks were centred on deputy crime intelligence head Feroz Khan.
Mogotsi further accused former police minister Bheki Cele of receiving a bribe in connection with a R360 million tender approved during his tenure.
Cele has told parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating similar claims of police corruption that he met Matlala once and that the latter complained that he was being used to fund Mchunu’s ANC presidential campaign.
On Tuesday, Mogotsi told the commission that Matlala’s R360 million police healthcare tender contract was signed during Cele’s term as police minister. He accused Cele of lying that he had met Matlala once and said there had been plans to arrest Cele at Matlala’s house.
He said a 2018 crime intelligence report, which Cele would have seen, named Matlala as a “John Wick” — a person of interest with numerous convictions and pending cases.
He told the commission a source told him Cele had an interest in Matlala’s irregular police contract and accused the former police minister of receiving a bribe for the R360 million tender.
Mogotsi said he had been recruited by former police lieutenant general Sindile Mfazi, who instructed him to investigate irregularities in crime intelligence within the South African Police Service (SAPS) as an informant. He said he uncovered officers buying vehicles and property using crime intelligence funds.
He said his handler proposed that he speak to deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya for assistance in the crime intelligence investigation. Mogotsi told the commission his alleged association with Sibiya is work-related between a senior police officer and an informant.
He said he wanted to brief Sibiya about allegations regarding the chief financial officer of the SAPS, Philani Lushaba and a cover-up regarding the theft of his work firearm, laptop and phone by a sex worker.
He said they spoke over the phone twice and met in person in August 2024 to discuss Matlala’s police healthcare tender contract.
Sibiya has admitted to meeting with Matlala at his office while he was acting national commissioner. He told the ad hoc committee that Matlala had challenges regarding property lease issues related to his R360 million healthcare police contract and wanted assistance.