Crime intelligence boss Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo has revealed WhatsApp messages between Brown Mogotsi and Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala to prove the criminal justice system has been infiltrated by organised crime and cartels.
Khumalo is continuing to give testimony at the Madlanga commission of inquiry on Tuesday.
On Monday he disclosed he had obtained the WhatsApp chats from Matlala’s phone when he was arrested and said they disclose direct communication and association between Matlala and several South African Police Services (SAPS) officials in connection with suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu.
WhatsApp chats between Matlala and Mogotsi began on December 17 and 18 last year showing a video of people described as members of the Gauteng counter intelligence operations entering Matlala’s building in Menlyn to conduct a threat and risk assessment and accompanied by armed officers.
The chats suggest they were talking about the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), a court case date and a 25% payment for accommodation and flight packages. Calls could also be seen to have been made between the two.
In their conversation dated December 27, Mogotsi sent a screenshot of his conversation with someone saved as “Senzo Mchunu” which read “please update”, seemingly from Mchunu, and Mogotsi responded: “It was during your tenure.”
Imagine, Comrade Senzo, after 30 years of democracy, having this kind of policing. The good thing now is that these are not allegations but a court judgment
— Message sent from Mogotsi to Mchunu
Another text allegedly from Mchunu read: “Was the arrest affected?”
After that, the screenshot showed incoming and outgoing calls between Mchunu and Mogotsi.
Another message sent from Mogotsi to Mchunu read: “Minister, I am going to get the case number and this judgment for you. Now we have something proven by the court. This is the matter now, which either [deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack] Sibiya or the minister can use to charge Khumalo and apply rule 9 of the disciplinary hearing. It took the Constitutional Court to release a man who was sentenced to life imprisonment through a forced section 204 confession.
“Imagine, Comrade Senzo, after 30 years of democracy, having this kind of policing. The good thing now is that these are not allegations but a court judgment.”
On January 1 Mogotsi sent Matlala a message informing him of the disbandment of the political killings task team and that the dockets were being taken to Sibiya.
Other chats showed documents forwarded to Matlala, including the letter sent to national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola about the disbandment of the task team, suggesting Mogotsi had access to confidential SAPS information.
The inquiry continues.
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