Brown Mokgotsi has confirmed receiving an invitation to respond to allegations against him made at the Madlanga commission. (Screenshot from SABC News)
The Madlanga commission into police corruption has summoned Brown Mokgotsi — an associate of now-suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu — to respond to allegations against him made at the inquiry.
Mogotsi is alleged to have been the middleman between Mchunu and murder suspect Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala for payments in exchange for confidential police information.
According to spokesperson Jeremy Michaels, the Madlanga Commission issued a notice which allows it to invite or compel persons of interest to testify before it. Mokgotsi has confirmed to the Mail and Guardian that he received an invitation from the commission.
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nkhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the first to testify before the commission, initially mentioned Mokgotsi as someone who had access to confidential police information, despite not being part of the police service.
Crime intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo later provided the commission with text messages showing how Mokgotsi alerted Matlala about police raids and the disbandment of the political killings task team investigating him. Matlala was subsequently asked to fund ANC delegates and a presidential breakfast.
Mchunu — who has denied any wrongdoing and dismissed Mkhwanazi’s July allegations of political interference as “wild” — initially denied knowing Mokgotsi but later described him as “a comrade”.
The commission is set to resume on 13 October after a brief 10-day break. Mkhwanazi is currently testifying before parliament’s ad hoc committee, which is a parallel inquiry investigating similar allegations.