KZN provincial police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi says businessperson and alleged leader of the Big Five cartel, Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, holds major influence while in prison.
He told the police parliamentary hoc committee investigating allegations he made on 6 July, regarding corruption and criminality in the justice system, that he had received a tip-off from a prisoner incarcerated with Matlala.
“In this statement of this gentleman, the person alleges that Cat Matlala has freedom inside the C-max. He is very close to the head of the facility; that’s why he can get around and get things at ease,” Mkhwanazi said.
He said that he was not aware of the events mentioned in the letter, especially the allegation that suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu was in possession of Matlala’s affidavit presented to the ad hoc committee.
He told the committee that the letter had been written by a prisoner within Matlala’s cell block. He had received the letter through an associate of former uMkhonto weSizwe Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela.
“This person wrote the things that had not been made public both at this ad hoc committee as well the Madlanga Commission. It then made me believe afterwards that this person is legit on what he’s talking about,” Mkhwanazi said.
The letter also suggested Matlala’s communications with Mchunu were more direct than what has been revealed. He said that while the pair had communicated via middleman and police informant Brown Mogotsi, they also had direct contact.
“On the 9th or the 10th of September [2025] there was a conference call between Shamila Batohi (the then-national director of public prosecutions), Senzo Mchunu, Lawrence Hodes (Vusi Matlala’s advocate) and [a] SAPS general which he didn’t name.
“The plan and reason for the call was to get Vusi Matlala to sign an affidavit that states he doesn’t know Mchunu. Apparently Mkhwashu told them to first show good faith by granting Vusi bail. He then refused to take any part in it unless they granted Vusi bail first.
“Vusi was quite angry that Mkhwashu refused to facilitate this. Vusi then explained to me that Hodes and Shamila are good friends and that Shamila and Senzo Mchunu are also very close, that is why Shamila Batohi is trying to help Senzo Mchunu,” read the letter.
The letter further implicated the Investigative Directorate Against Corruption (Idac), which witnesses alleged has been captured by forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan, stating: “I also know there were people from Idac at the prison to see Vusi on more than one occasion.”
The letter stated that while in custody, Matlala was visited by Mchunu’s lawyers who handed him a document to sign, agreeing that he did not know the minister.
“A few days after signing the statement, which Mchunu sent for Vusi, he told me that Mchunu sent a message to his wife explaining that [he’s] happy and that Vusi must sit tight; ‘help is on the way’.”
Mkhwanazi said corrupt politicians within the system had captured the new officials taking part in criminal activity. He noted that Mchunu had been in office for close to a year before he had sent the disbandment letter about the political killings task team.
“I believe that Minister Mchunu was captured to end up writing that letter. But he doesn’t accept that he owns [the letter]. He said he wrote the letter on his own iPad,” said Mkhwanazi.
He clarified his meeting with Matlala, which witnesses have alleged indicated his complicity to organised crime.
“Cat Matlala, when he met with me in that meeting, he was afraid of the people he was talking about. And he made it clear that what he’s sharing with me, in the street language, you’d refer it to as snitching. So, he was giving out information that would have compromised his safety,” Mkhwanazi said.
He said subsequent witnesses who had appeared before the ad hoc committee and Madlanga Commission, such as KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Lesetja Senona and Matlala, had been afraid to mention the names of key individuals.
Mkhwanazi told the ad hoc committee that he maintained that Matlala had approached him as an informer and had been used by key individuals in organised crime.
