On the day of Matlala's arrest, he reportedly opened up about his dealings with Mchunu to the police.
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu told parliament’s ad hoc committee last week that Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala was a stranger to him and that he had never met the man. Mchunu further denied allegations that Matlala funded his ANC presidential campaign.
However, Witness C, a member of the political killings task team (PKTT), painted a different picture at the Madlanga commission on Thursday.
Matlala’s arrest
Matlala was arrested in May, and while police were after him for the alleged attempted murder of his former lover, Tebogo Thobejane, the tenderpreneur was willing to offer more information.
Witness C said Matlala was followed and arrested in Midrand after his car hit a pothole and suffered a puncture.
Matlala apparently told police he was coming from former national police commissioner Riah Phiyega’s house at the time of his arrest.
The tenderpreneur was taken to the Boksburg Police Station, where he indicated he was willing to speak with Witnesses A, B, and C.
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“He told us of his connection with high-ranking officials of the Saps [South African Police Service]. He started name-dropping, indicating that he was close to Mchunu, Brown Mogotsi and deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya,” said Witness C.
Police raided Matlala’s house on 6 December and his office on 18 and 19 December — events that left a sour taste in his mouth, given that he was expecting protection from his police friends.
Matlala told police that, following their raid on his house, he complained to Mogotsi and Mchunu.
“Mchunu engaged his security, and they utilised the grabber machines in order to identify the Saps members who had been investigating him and who had raided his house. That’s when Mogotsi sent him [Matlala] the registration numbers of the cars we were using when we went to his house,” said Witness C.
False cases against police
Matlala said he was persuaded to open cases against the PKTT at the Brooklyn Police Station.
He did attempt to open cases of theft, listing stolen firearms, cell phones, an Apple MacBook Pro, his wife’s Cartier watch and a Rolex watch. However, this case was unsuccessful, as the police found on the system that the listed items had been handed over to them following the raid, not stolen.
“We received that litigation. He was advised by Mchunu, Sibiya and Mogotsi to open the case,” said Witness C.
Through Sibiya, Matlala was assisted in opening the case in Protea Glen. He was also advised to open a case with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid).
Previously, we were shown text messages between Mogotsi and Matlala discussing the progress of Matlala’s case with the Ipid.
In the texts, Matlala told Mogotsi that his wife was unwilling to open a case of assault against the police who raided their house.
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Matlala told Witnesses A, B and C that he was advised that for the case to be stronger, he should invite his wife to open an assault case against officers.
After the police raided Matlala’s business, he was displeased.
“This triggered him to say Mchunu, Mogotsi and Sibiya are using him but failing to protect him. He then went to see [former police minister Bheki] Cele to inform him of these developments. That’s where he was advised that he should not make false cases against the police,” said Witness C.
How Matlala was introduced to Mchunu
Matlala told police that he was introduced to Mchunu at a time when he had ambitions to run for ANC presidency.
There were people, including the minister himself, going around looking for supporters for his campaign, and Matlala was one of them.
In January, Matlala contributed R500 000 by purchasing flight tickets and accommodation for ANC members travelling to the January 8 celebrations.
We have previously seen text messages between Matlala and Mogotsi discussing these payments.
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“I jokingly asked Matlala if he believed Mchunu would succeed in the ANC presidency campaign, and he said he did not believe he would win, but was afraid of discouraging him,” testified Witness C.
When Mchunu took action that resulted in the R360 million Saps tender cancellation, Matlala realised he was alone in this.
“He planned to take legal action that would expose Mchunu. After his meeting with Cele, he tried to reach out to Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and Dumisani Khumalo, but couldn’t get through to them,” said Witness C.
“I felt that Matlala was very frustrated because on one hand, he was funding Mchunu’s campaign, and he expected the minister to help him in stopping the police from investigating him, whereas Mchunu and his crew are failing to protect him.
“The day we arrested him, he informed us that he had sent a text message to Mogotsi that he had recorded everything and that he was going to expose everything. He was going to go to the high court to make an affidavit to expose his relationship with Mchunu, incriminating him in all these criminal activities.”
Payments to Mchunu
Matlala told police that he would transfer money through a company registered under Mogotsi, and Mogotsi would then share the money with Mchunu.
The account numbers have been given to the police.
After sending money to Mogotsi, he would send proof of payment.
Matlala sponsored the minister’s delegates to the ANC’s January 8 celebration with around R500 000. He used a company named Kgontle specialists for flights, accommodation and entertainment for the delegates. The list of delegates’ names was given to him by Mogotsi.
Mchunu has previously denied that these arrangements were done on his behalf.
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