North West businessman Brown Mogotsi has criticised KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, claiming the commissioner failed to disclose a private meeting with alleged criminal mastermind Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala in Durban.
Mogotsi testified before parliament’s ad hoc committee on Tuesday. The committee is investigating allegations of corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system. These claims were originally sparked by Mkhwanazi during a media briefing in July last year, where he accused Mogotsi of acting as a middleman between high-ranking politicians and Matlala to subvert police investigations.
Mogotsi testified that Matlala had previously mentioned travelling to uMhlanga to meet someone who could “solve his problems”.
“I drove to Durban and followed him to the location in uMhlanga. I did not see the person he met at the time,” Mogotsi said.
“However, after Matlala was arrested, he spoke to me from his prison cell via phone during Mkhwanazi’s briefing. He said, ‘Remember when I went to KZN to meet someone? I went to meet Mkhwanazi.’”
Mogotsi further alleged that Matlala claimed to have given Mkhwanazi “something”— a statement Mogotsi interpreted as a clear reference to money.
When questioned about his own presence in Durban, Mogotsi explained he had followed Matlala under the suspicion that the “important person” was former police minister Bheki Cele. It was only later, he claims, that he discovered the individual was Mkhwanazi.
Beyond the corruption claims, Mogotsi launched a scathing attack on the KZN police’s operational tactics. He alleged that under Mkhwanazi’s command, suspected criminals “never make it out alive” during shootouts with the police.
Mkhwanazi’s suspects don’t make it out alive. Everyone knows what happens in KZN.
— Brown Mogotsi
Mogotsi argued that suspects are frequently killed rather than being afforded their right to a fair trial.
“Mkhwanazi’s suspects don’t make it out alive. Everyone knows what happens in KZN; we hear reports of people fighting with the police, but the suspects never survive. While I am not saying they should shoot at the police, it is notable that in these shootouts, you rarely hear of a police officer being hit.”
Mogotsi emphasised that the primary role of the police is to bring suspects to court to dismantle broader criminal networks.
“Suspects must be arrested and appear before a court,” Mogotsi said.
“In other provinces, suspects are arrested or caught after escaping. In KZN, they aren’t. When they are killed, we lose the evidence needed to understand where these criminals originate or who is financing their crimes.”
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