‘Take care of me and I will take care of you’

On the morning of May 14, the day alleged cartel kingpin Musimuzi “Cat” Matlala was arrested, he sent a text message to North West businessman Brown Mogotsi: “Morning. Just to let you know that my contract was cancelled on Saturday and I see you have been ignoring me and promising me things that never happened. Luckily [I] took screenshots of every conversation just in case something like this might happen.”

The text message was extracted from Matlala’s phone after he was arrested, according to crime intelligence head Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo who testified before the Madlanga commission in September. Later, Matlala sent another message, said Khumalo: “I told you from day one I am not waiting for any lies anymore. By Friday if they do not withdraw I will also hit back and I will hit very strong.”

The contract, worth R360m, was awarded to Matlala’s company in 2024 and later cancelled on the instruction of police minister Senzo Mchunu. The commission has heard that Mogotsi was a close “associate” of Mchunu, an allegation Mchunu has denied.

The full text message chain between Mogotsi and Matlala suggested their relationship soured as Matlala got progressively disillusioned with Mogotsi’s unfulfilled promises.

His disappointment may explain why, when he was arrested later that day, he asked the police officers that arrested him if they could “talk”.

On Thursday, witness C, a member of the political killings task team, told the commission what Matlala said during this “talk” — a series of explosive allegations about Mchunu, suspended deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya and other top police officials.

Mchunu and Sibiya are yet to testify and answer the allegations. During witness C’s evidence, commissioners were careful to say “alleged”, whenever they referred to what the witness claimed Matlala had said.

Matlala told him and two other police investigators that Mchunu had ambitions to run for president of the ANC. There were people ‘going around looking for the people who would contribute to his campaign; and indeed Matlala had contributed to his campaign’.

“We were afforded an office, and we indeed had a talk with him,” said witness C. Matlala told him and two other police investigators that Mchunu had ambitions to run for president of the ANC. There were people “going around looking for the people who would contribute to his campaign; and indeed Matlala had contributed to his campaign”.

Matlala would transfer money “through a company that is registered under Mr Brown Mogotsi; and then Brown Mogotsi would be the one who would relay the money to the minister”. Matlala gave as an example a payment of R500,000 for flight tickets and accommodation for ANC members who were going to Cape Town for the ANC’s January 8 celebration.

After the police raided Matlala’s house on December 6, Matlala said he was advised to open “a false case” against the police. The advice came from “Mogotsi, the minister and the DNC [deputy national commissioner Sibiya]”.

Later, on December 18 and 19, when the police seized firearms from his business premises, Matlala “reached out to Brown Mogotsi and the minister, informing them that … the SAPS, wants to arrest him” and demanded “direct action” from the minister, said witness C.

Asked by commission chair, retired justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, whether Matlala said he “directly” contacted Mchunu, witness C said: “That is my apprehension, to say that it means that he directly spoke to the minister.” But he said Matlala did not specify the date and time.

Witness C said he felt Matlala was “very frustrated because, on the one hand, he is funding minister Mchunu’s presidential campaign and he expected the minister to assist him in stopping the police from investigating him [but] now minister Mchunu and his crew are failing to protect him”.

On Sibiya, witness C said Matlala told them he had come to know Sibiya because he used to provide security services at the farm of “the late Mr Msibi, who was also known as Mr Mswazi or the old man”. Sibiya was “a regular person there,” said Matlala, according to witness C. At the farm he had “met a lot of Mr Msibi’s associates who were introduced to him as the Big 5”.

In September, Khumalo had testified that the “Big 5” was a sophisticated criminal cartel with widespread influence and involved a broad spectrum of illicit activities. Matlala was one of its leaders, said Khumalo. Last week, witness B testified that Msibi had been president of the Big 5.

After Msibi died, Sibiya allegedly approached Matlala, saying now that the “old man” had passed away, “please take care of me and I will take care of you”. From then on, Matlala would give payments to Sibiya of “around R500,000 at a time”. Sibiya “doesn’t accept electronic transfers but he prefers cash,” Matlala had said, according to witness C.

Matlala had also said that, after every payment by the SAPS for his tender, “then a portion of the payment would be given to General Sibiya”. Sometimes Matlala would pay up to R1m a month, said witness C, adding that the recording of the meeting would show that Matlala said Sibiya and KZN Hawks head Lesetja Senona helped him to secure the tender.

Matlala also told them he had paid R300,000 towards the wedding of Sibiya’s son and paid R2m towards Sibiya’s purchase of a plot in Midrand that was to be turned into a bed and breakfast. Matlala said he personally delivered the R2m. It “was dropped off in cash at the estate in Sandton … General Sibiya came out of the house and stood by the circle [and Matlala] just extended his hand from the car, while he was still sitting in the car, and General Sibiya took the money. And, as he drove off, General Sibiya walked back into the house,” said witness C.

Asked about a “paper trail” for this payment, witness C said police investigators were still analysing Matlala’s bank statements. “Mr Matlala has a lot of bank accounts, commissioners, and the activities in those accounts are a lot, so the analysis thereof hasn’t been concluded.”

Witness C said Matlala was “frustrated and angry” with Sibiya. He had been convinced, after the December 6 raid that the actions by the SAPS “would be defused”. But when the police went to his company offices shortly afterwards, “he became more frustrated” because Sibiya “had promised him that the police won’t be coming again”. Matlala had said he would “just play along” with Sibiya because should Sibiya find out that Matlala “has changed sides, then it means that it would be the end of his life”.

Matlala remains in custody after a bail appeal was refused. Correctional services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said the department “had sufficient security measures in our facilities”.