Tender tycoon Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala has told the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that he hates North West businessman Brown Mogotsi.
According to Matlala, Mogotsi caused him significant problems after allegedly posing as an official from the office of the Police Minister.
Testifying on Monday, Matlala said he had no relationship with Mogotsi before the South African Police Service (SAPS) raided his home in December 2024. He said Mogotsi contacted him two days after the raid, claiming he could help him open a case against the police.
Mogotsi impersonated an official
“I can confirm that I came to know of Mr. Brown Mogotsi at the time the SAPS raided my house. Before then I had no dealings with him. He called me impersonating an official from the office of the minister of police, and it would appear that he was using this strategy to entice me to give him financial assistance,” he said.
Matlala said the raid had initially left him believing that he had been robbed because the police officers were wearing balaclavas and had taken several of his belongings, including his personal firearm.
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“He called saying he is from the office of the minister and he is calling to help me open a case against the police. Before he called, the previous day I went to the police station to open a case because I thought I had been robbed. As those police were wearing balaclavas, they took my belongings, including my personal firearm,” he said.
According to Matlala, Mogotsi later asked him for money, claiming it was needed to secure accommodation for people who would investigate the matter.
“When the police came back for the second time, he asked for money, stating that he wants to get accommodation for people who will be investigating this. I gave him R20 000.
“I met Brown Mogotsi after the first call he made at a hotel next to the Union Buildings in Pretoria. He even made a call in front of me pretending to call the minister. I met him again at the Houghton hotel in Johannesburg,” he added.
Matlala’s meeting with Bheki Cele
Matlala said he only discovered later, after meeting former police minister Bheki Cele, that Mogotsi was not an official from the former minister’s office.
He said someone close to Cele subsequently contacted him and arranged for him to meet the former minister in KwaZulu-Natal.
During the meeting, Matlala said he showed Cele his communications with Mogotsi. He alleged that Cele advised him to continue giving Mogotsi money while efforts were made to establish what was happening.
Matlala also told the commission that Cele had allegedly informed him that Mchunu wanted to remove General Dumisani Khumalo and replace him with General Feroz Khan as head of Crime Intelligence.
Matlala said he subsequently paid R150 000 into an account linked to a request for funds for the African National Congress (ANC)’s January 8 event.
Despite maintaining contact with Mogotsi at the time, Matlala said their relationship eventually collapsed following his arrest.
“I actually hate him because he caused a lot of problems for me. We stopped communicating after my arrest. I did not terminate the relationship, but we were not the best of buddies. “
“I kept him close because of what Mr. Cele said. Its either using Mr. Mchunu’s name to swindle me of money or they were working together. I do not know.”
Matlala said he could not determine whether Mogotsi had been acting independently or whether he had been working with Mchunu.
He told the commission that he no longer had any relationship with Mogotsi and strongly denied that the two had been friends.
- Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala testified at the Madlanga Commission that he hates Brown Mogotsi, a North West businessman who caused him significant problems by impersonating a Police Minister official.
- Matlala first encountered Mogotsi after a December 2024 SAPS raid at his home, during which police wearing balaclavas took his belongings, including his firearm.
- Mogotsi contacted Matlala claiming he could help open a case against the police, later asking for R20,000 to secure accommodation for investigators, which Matlala paid.
- After meeting former police minister Bheki Cele, Matlala was told to continue giving Mogotsi money while investigations proceeded and was informed about alleged political maneuvers involving Mchunu and Crime Intelligence leadership.
- Matlala paid R150,000 linked to a request for ANC event funds but ended his relationship with Mogotsi after his arrest, denying any friendship and expressing uncertainty whether Mogotsi acted independently or with others.
