Police minister Senzo Mchunu has backtracked on his earlier dismissal of businessman Brown Mogotsi, now admitting he “knows and has met” him, calling him a “comrade”.
On March 5 in parliament Mchunu brushed off KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s claims about Mogotsi’s alleged closeness to him. At the time he referred to Mogotsi vaguely as “some fellow”, choosing not to directly respond to Mkhwanazi’s statement that Mogotsi had contacted him and claimed to be joining Mchunu on a visit to Lusikisiki after a mass shooting.
“We must be circumspect when people come to us and say, ‘I’m an associate of this and that’. I’m not associated with the person Mkhwanazi is referring to,” Mchunu said then.
Mkhwanazi said in parliament Mogotsi called and messaged him (Mkhwanazi) claiming to be accompanying the minister on the official trip to Lusikisiki. Mkhwanazi said he later confirmed with the chief of staff that Mogotsi was a close associate of Mchunu and he then launched an investigation.
From ‘some fellow’ to ‘comrade’: listen to Mchunu:
Mchunu’s office said on Wednesday: “The minister knows and has met Brown Mogotsi. He is just a comrade and not an associate of the minister.
“The minister has never requested or received anything from him.”
In the same statement, Mchunu distances himself from Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, saying he has never met or spoken to Matlala, or received anything from him.
At the weekend Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu and deputy police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya of disbanding the KwaZulu-Natal political killings task team after it raided Matlala’s home.
Mkhwanazi claimed Mogotsi was involved in communications with Mchunu about disbanding the unit. He also said WhatsApp messages exist between Matlala and Mogotsi allegedly discussing how to protect political interests and target investigators.
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