Commission hears how Mchunu used influence to identify PKTT members

The Madlanga Commission has heard how attempted murder accused Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala used his influence to attain the identities of two police investigators known as Witness A and B.

Witness C testified before the Commission yesterday that Matlala alleged that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu engaged State Security on his behalf, and used surveillance devices to obtain details of the vehicles of members of the Political Killings Task Team who were investigating him.

“He told us that the minister engaged state security on his behalf and utilized grabber machines in order to pick up the identities of the SAPS officials investigating him. Mr [Brown] Mogotsi thereafter sent him the vehicle registration numbers of the vehicles that came to his property. Mr Matala disclosed that this is how he came to know the identities of the two officers who played a key role in the operation.”

Meanwhile, the Commission played an audio recording of Matlala on the day of his arrest on the 14th of May for the attempted murder of his former girlfriend, Tebogo Thobejane in October 2023.

He told three arresting officers including Witness C, about what he believed were reasons for his SAPS contract to be cancelled.

Matlala’s R360-million contract was cancelled after it was flagged for irregularities when Mchunu came into office.

In the recording, Matlala can be heard telling Witness C that he had written to Mchunu’s associate, Brown Mogotsi about an affidavit he made at the High Court, where he would implicate Mchunu.

Witness C says Matlala was aware that the informal interview was being recorded.

“And also that he is going to implicate the minister because of his criminality … after he [Matlala] had refused to open a case against the team or the police, then the police cancelled his contract with the SAPS. He [Mchunu] had instructed General Fannie Masemola to cancel his contract.”