Corruption accused Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala will file an affidavit to the Madlanga commission about his meeting with KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in which the top cop allegedly made comments related to “taking him out”.
Matlala details the allegation in his witness statement in a plea deal with the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac) about his meeting with Mkhwanazi before he was arrested on May 14 2025 and charged with the attempted murder of Tebogo Thobejane.
“Mkhwanazi also said they had a police summit at Emperors Palace and he had a private conversation with [police minister Gen Fannie] Masemola, who told him he suspects I intended to kill him [Masemola] so [Lt-Gen Shadrack] Sibiya could be appointed as national commissioner,” Matlala’s witness statement reads.
“He [Mkhwanazi] said he told Masemola, ‘just say the word and I will take him out’, meaning he would take me out. Mkhwanazi also said that day, he called the commander of the special task force and arranged for an armoured vehicle to be made available to Masemola.”
During cross-examination before the commission on Wednesday, Matlala did not want to elaborate on the claims reflected in the statement against Mkhwanazi, citing security reasons.
“Can we please treat the entire [paragraph] 118 as a security risk,” Matlala said.
In the witness statement Matlala alleged he paid Sibiya R500,000, but during his testimony he denied making the claim
His legal team has requested to file an affidavit to address matters he declined to testify on publicly, citing security reasons.
Earlier in the day Mkhwanazi testified that Idac investigators, when taking the witness statement, allegedly told him they were after Mkhwanazi, Masemola and crime intelligence head Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo, and wanted evidence from him to builda case against the three cops.
“Their main target was Gen Mkhwanazi; they wanted to strip his support base, Gen Masemola, and deal with him directly,” he said.
Mkhwanazi is due to return to the commission to address allegations made against him after his first appearance before the commission investigating allegations of criminal infiltration into law enforcement agencies.
Matlala’s meeting with Mkhwanazi was arranged by former police minister Bheki Cele. Matlala said he wanted to meet with Mkhwanazi to get assistance with purchase orders on his R228m health tender with police.
The tender was cancelled by Masemola in 2025 after allegations of corruption.
Matlala’s supplementary affidavit to the commission will also address allegations that former deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya wrote his affidavit before the high court in Pretoria in which he made allegations against the KwaZulu-Natal political killings task team.
During cross-examination Matlala was reluctant to answer questions related to Sibiya. He, however, confirmed to Sibiya had made threatening calls to Matlala’s wife for Matlala not to disclose information during his appearance before parliament’s ad-hoc committee.
In the witness statement Matlala alleged he paid Sibiya R500,000, but during his testimony he denied making the claim.
He has accused Idac chief investigator Dylan Perumal, who allegedly typed the witness statement, of including information in the witness statement he was not aware of.
Senior Idac investigators Suneel Bellochun and Brian Padayachee were also part of the process.
Business Day
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