Power struggle: Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala alleges he was caught in infighting between former police minister
Bheki Cele and his successor, suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu. Photo: GCIS
After two subsequent police raids at his house by the political killings task team, Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala – alleged leader of the Big Five cartel and attempted murder suspect – approached former police minister Bheki Cele for assistance.
Matlala told parliament’s ad hoc committee that he paid Cele R500 000 in two tranches for protection. He said he did this while North West businessman Brown Mogotsi was also soliciting money from him, claiming to act on behalf of suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu.
Matlala has been detained at Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre since April, after he was arrested and charged with a myriad of charges, including conspiracy to commit murder and allegations relating to the R2 billion Tembisa Hospital corruption.
He alleges that he unknowingly became entangled in a power struggle inside the South African Police Service (SAPS) between Cele and Mchunu, both of whom he believed were fighting for loyalty and influence over police operations.
An investigation into the murder of Armand Swart led to a search and seizure at Matlala’s residence in December 2024 and March 2025. Swart was a Vereeniging engineer believed to be a whistleblower in a Transnet tender scandal involving the Gauteng organised crime unit and the KwaZulu-Natal-based political killings task team.
Senior police officials testifying at the Madlanga Commission — investigating allegations of police corruption — claimed that Matlala initiated the disbandment of the task team by Mchunu on 31 December 2024.
Matlala has refuted this claim, asserting that he was caught in infighting between Cele and his successor, Mchunu. Matlala alleges that they demanded money in exchange for police favours.
Matlala told the ad hoc committee that he made two cash payments to Cele — R300 000, handed over in January 2025 at his apartment, and R200 000, delivered in March 2025 at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Durban.
He said Cele helped him retrieve firearms confiscated during raids and stopped further police harassment.
“I gave him R300 000, and on the second occasion I gave him R200 000,” said Matlala.
“I made an initial payment of R300 000 in cash around January [2025]. I handed over the money while he was inside my apartment. This was after he said he needed gratification, which he called ‘a facilitation fee’ related to his role in returning my firearms and stopping the harassment.”
The cash, he testified, was kept “in a Woolworths bag” which he occasionally used to make payments.
“He asked me for money, and then he reminded me of what he did for me. I’m not saying I felt I needed to pay him for what he did,” said Matlala.
Cele also stayed at his Pretoria apartment “three or four times”, he said.
At the same time, Matlala said Mogotsi persistently demanded money from him, claiming to be sent by Mchunu. When he raised this with Cele, the former minister advised him to cooperate.
“[Cele] said to me that the problem is that minister Mchunu has got a problem with the police still loyal to him. Minister Mchunu wanted to remove Dumisani Khumalo as head of intelligence and put his own people,” Matlala told the commission.
Matlala said he paid Mogotsi money for the accommodation and flights of ANC delegates ahead of the party’s January 8 celebrations.
“From what I understand, the minister [Mchunu] asked him to go ask for donations there, and I was one of them,” said Matlala.
He said that while Mogotsi never claimed the money was for political campaigning, Cele alleged it was part of an internal drive linked to an ANC presidential aspiration.
“Mr Mogotsi, he never said the money is for funding the presidential campaign of Mr Mchunu. That’s what Mr Cele told me, that ‘this one, he thinks he can be president of the country’.”
Committee evidence leader Norman Arendse questioned Matlala about his interactions with KZN police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Matlala said Cele arranged the Umhlanga meeting with Mkhwanazi after he complained he was not receiving purchase orders for his R36 million Medicare24 contract.
According to Matlala, Mkhwanazi offered to “ask his HR head” to process the paperwork, but then provided information about the human resources (HR) official’s house purchase, which Matlala interpreted as an implied request for a bribe.
When Arendse suggested it “reeked of corruption”, Matlala said it was not corruption per se but admitted it may have been “unethical”, adding he was merely dealing with someone who was already corrupt “to attain something that was rightfully his”.
“I was complaining to General Cele [that] I’m not getting purchase orders and that my payments are being delayed,” he said.
Matlala denied any involvement in Mchunu’s directive to disband the task team investigating political killings. Senior police officials have told the Madlanga Commission and ad hoc committee that Mchunu disbanded the task team when it was closing in on Matlala and co-accused Katiso Molefe.
“I don’t know what powers it would have for me to disband the unit from the SAPS,” said Matlala.
He said the unit was planned to be disbanded in 2019. When asked about WhatsApp chats with Mogotsi where they discussed the political killings task team, he said most of the texts were “fabricated”.
While admitting to some of the texts with Mogotsi, he said he entertained him at Cele’s request to create a paper trail leading to Mchunu.
“My views in relation to the messages received from Brown is that he was trying to be relevant and it was his attempt to show me he was working with Mr Mchunu,” said Matlala.
He said Mogotsi would share any information to show he was doing something worthwhile. He added that he showed the messages from Mogotsi to Cele, who said this would be the path to Mchunu.
Arendse asked Matlala about a text to Mogotsi that said: “I made a conscious decision to support the minister [Mchunu].”
Matlala responded, saying, “I was texting to string him along. They said I must entertain him.”