EFF leader Julius Malema has condemned the alleged harassment of the wife and children of alleged underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala during a police raid by the political killings task team (PKTT) in December 2024.
During his testimony before parliament’s ad hoc committee on Thursday, Matlala said the raid was part of an investigation into the kidnapping of his “friend” Jerry Boshoga.
Recounting the incident to the ad hoc committee, which was sitting at the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Facility in Pretoria where he is a remand detainee, Matlala alleged the officers gained access to his property by breaking the main gate.
“It was around 4pm. I was in the main bedroom with my wife and we heard kids screaming in the house.
“I saw men wearing balaclavas and holding rifles approaching the main bedroom.”
Matlala said he, his children and his wife were told to lie down and put their hands behind their heads while rifles were pointed at them.
He said his wife told him afterwards: “This heartless act has had a profound and lasting psychological impact on our entire family.”
During his turn to question Matlala, Malema started his interrogation on an emotional note, addressing the alleged incident directly.
“I wish to send my sympathy to your wife and kids because no-one, even a hardened criminal, must have police coming into their house and making their kids lie on the floor,” Malema said.
Arguing police should have handled the situation with far greater sensitivity, Malema said “no-one must ever do that to our children and wives”.
Malema suggested the correct procedure would have involved taking the children and placing them with a female police officer in one room to reassure them everything was fine while the police conducted their business.
“How do you put a child on the floor and point at them with a firearm? It is uncalled for, even if you’re looking for the most dangerous criminal. That must never be done to children.”
If this did happen, he said, it deserves to be condemned.
“As black people we have inherited trauma and no-one must pass that trauma to our children and no-one must take advantage of our wives. Whatever we do on the streets is between us and the streets.
“Police must understand, wherever they are, that no-one must take advantage of young kids.”
The questioning then shifted to Matlala’s personal life. Malema asked about his upbringing, prompting Matlala to open up about challenges he faced after his mother, who was albino and allegedly raped, abandoned him at a young age, leaving him to fend for himself.
Matlala saidt when he finally found her, she was terminally ill.
Malema sympathised and then moved to Matlala’s business dealings, accusing him of using his sister as a “front” for his enterprise, noting Matlala had placed her as the director of Medicare24 Tshwane District after he resigned from his position in December last year.
The focus soon returned to the kidnapping of Boshoga when Malema revealed he received a call from Boshoga’s mother, who was pleading with Matlala to bring back her son.
Malema gave Matlala an opportunity to speak directly to Boshoga’s mother via the ad hoc committee platform. Matlala said she was being misled.
“I was the first person who looked for Boshoga everywhere,” Matlala said.
“When they say I kidnapped him it is maybe because of my suggestion to tell the police the truth about events leading up to his kidnapping.”
He alleged Boshoga was involved in a drug transaction when he was kidnapped.
Matlala sent this message to the distressed mother: “Mama, you know very well me and your son are close friends and have done a lot of things together. There’s nothing I’d do to hurt your son or your family.”
Malema said Boshoga’s children and wife do not deserve to grow up without a father.
TimesLIVE
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