The Hawks head argued on Wednesday that morally supporting someone does not mean you are assisting them.
The self-confidence shown by KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Hawks head Major-General Lesetja Senona on the first day of his testimony at the Madlanga commission appeared to wane on Wednesday, leading to several concessions.
Senona spent a large part of his testimony before tea denying knowing about numerous allegations against his “brother” Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala.
Senona insisted he did not know of any scandals involving Matlala and that he did not read media articles about it.
“I never came across these newspaper articles, and I have indicated that if these newspaper articles had crossed my path, I would have dealt with it as I dealt with that one on 5 March.”
Cat Matlala article
The article in question refers to a News24 report about allegations against Matlala and his change of directorship at his company, Medicare24.
Senona was the one who sent the link of the article to Matlala, but insisted he only read the part about the change in directorship – a claim evidence leader Adila Hassim dismantled almost immediately.
Hassim pointed out that the first paragraph of the article was about Matlala’s alleged links to the Tembisa Hospital syndicates.
Senona had previously told the commission he was not aware of this link.
The second paragraph of the article discusses the SIU and Hawks’ investigations into Matlala and his Saps tender. It then discusses the directorship.
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Based on this, Hassim asked how it was possible that Senona did not see the earlier parts of the article that discussed allegations against Matlala, but did see the later parts about the directorship.
“If they [investigators] clicked on this article and this came up, I must submit that I did read this. Now I recall because the advocate is talking about these things that are listed here,” conceded Senona.
“It is important that sometimes you be made to recall certain things, but if you recall, you must say it and assist the commission. That is why, when you look at my affidavit, I said this thing became too wearying for me with the relationship, and then we had serious engagements there, and I began to withdraw from him gradually. I became aware, and we had serious deliberations, me and him.”
Hawks investigation
Senona said he did not contact his colleagues in the Hawks to enquire about their investigation into Matlala because it would have amounted to interference.
“I did not do any further enquiries with the Hawks about this. If I did that, today it would amount to interference because you see a newspaper clip, phone the Hawks, what would be your questions about them?
“Sometimes, when people are being investigated, let the law take its course without you interfering. Some of the things I’m being accused of are that I used my office to protect Matlala.”
‘You assisted Matlala’
Senona told the commission that after reading the article detailing allegations against Matlala, he began to “gradually” distance himself from him.
However, Hassim and the commissioners also dismissed this claim.
On Tuesday, Senono said Matlala informed him when his company, Medicare24, stopped receiving purchase orders for the Saps tender. He then met with KZN police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to seek his assistance with the issue. Senono was part of the meeting.
“On 15 April 2025, I accompanied Mr Matlala to a meeting held between him and General Mkhwanazi. The meeting was organised by the former minister Bheki Cele, who was not present on the day. Mr Matlala requested that I accompany him for moral support as he was not comfortable meeting with the general alone,” Senona said on Tuesday.
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Hassim used this testimony to dispute Senono’s claim that he began withdrawing from Matlala after 5 March 2025.
“That’s not correct. You were part of a meeting on 15 April 2025, well over a month after receiving this article,” said Hassim.
“You were in a meeting in which you were trying to assist Matlala with his contractual problems. That doesn’t indicate somebody who’s withdrawing.”
Senona: ‘It was just moral support’
“I deny that I was assisting him,” responded Senona.
“He asked me to accompany him, and accompanying somebody does not mean assisting. He was discussing his issues with General Mkhwanazi, and I didn’t arrange that meeting. I don’t think it’s fair to be told I was assisting.
“It must be noted that I did not participate in that engagement in that meeting, although I was present. But the meeting was in relation to purchase orders, that is my response.”
Hassim responded: “You also assisted Matlala in the sense that you did not report the meeting to the Saps.”
“The provincial commissioner was present, who do I report to because I must tell him about the meeting. He was there. It’s me who reported this here at the commission to show that I’ve got nothing to hide. The general was here; he never brought it up. I think that needs to be taken seriously into consideration,” responded Senona.
Hassim told Senona he should have reported Mkhwanazi to his superior.
“I didn’t report him to his superiors; I reported here at the commission. I waited for my time to come and report it here.”
In April 2025, there was no commission or indication that one would be established.
“What was I supposed to say in the report to my superiors? I didn’t see any need,” conceded Senona.
He confirmed that he only cut off contact with Matlala after his arrest in May 2025.
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