A hefty R2-million to buy a B&B, R300, 000 to organise a party and the purchase of 20 impalas that later died.
It would appear the benefits to the largesse by one man from another was unending.
According to Witness C, who was testifying at the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System, this is how alleged drug cartel member Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala allegedly bribed suspended deputy national commissioner of police responsible for crime detection Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya.
During the Madlanga Commission’s proceedings on Thursday at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria, Witness C told the commission’s chairperson, retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, that after police arrested Matlala in Midrand in May for the October 2023 attempted murder of his ex-lover Tebogo Thobejane, he started telling them how Sibiya was a “criminal”.
Witness C said that Matlala told police that he gave Sibiya millions of rands in cash bribes.
PKTT backgroundÂ
The witness is a member of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) political killings task team (PKTT) and a certified forensic investigator specialising in fraud and corruption investigations.
He joined the PKTT in May 2020 and was deployed on December 2 2024 to assist the Gauteng organised crime unit with its investigations.
During his testimony, Witness C told the commission that after police arrested Matlala in Midrand in May, he told them that he knows Sibiya very well.
“Matlala told us how he met General Sibiya. He said he used to provide security services at the farm of the late Mr Msibi [late taxi boss Zanemvula Jothan Msibi]. He said Sibiya was a regular visitor at Msibi’s farm, where he met him. Matlala said at the farm he met Msibi’s associates and they were introduced to him as the Big Five.
“Matlala said Msibi’s farm was located around Hammanskraal in Pretoria at a game reserve. He said it was the most secure farm because only those close to Msibi had access to the farm,” said Witness C.
Scratch my back, I scratch yours Â
Msibi, popularly known as Mswazi, was a wealthy Pretoria taxi owner and transport mogul. He died in a Pretoria hospital in January 2024 due to an undisclosed illness.
According to national head of crime intelligence, Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo, the ‘Big Five’ is a cartel that deals in drug trafficking, contract killings, cross-border vehicle hijackings, kidnappings, tender fraud, and extortion mainly related to drug trafficking.
Witness C also said after Msibi’s passing, Matlala told police that Sibiya said that “since the old man [Msibi] has passed away, you must take care of me and I will take care of you in return…”
“Matlala’s understanding was that Sibiya wants him to take care of him financially … Matlala said Sibiya preferred cash payments and not electronic payments…,” said Witness C.
He said Matlala told police that Sibiya would instruct him to come to his house, whose location Matlala did not disclose, and drop off the money, and he would also go to Sibiya’s townhouse in a gated community in Sandton and [also] drop off money there.
“Matlala said he once gave Sibiya R1 million in a certain month and the money was a portion that came from the R360 million SAPS tender he received. He said he gave Sibiya R300 000 towards a party organised for Sibiya’s son who was getting married.
“Matlala said Sibiya once instructed him to place cash money in a dustbin located next to his SAPS office in Pretoria. He did not specify how much he gave Sibiya. Matlala further said he gave Sibiya R2 million in cash at his Sandton house to help him and his wife to purchase a B&B [Bed & Breakfast]…,” said Witness C.
Matlala told police that he bought Sibiya 20 impalas for his plot but the animals died.
Caught on tapeÂ
Witness C played an audio recording for the commission where Matlala is heard telling Witness C that he gave Sibiya money in cash many times.
Thursday’s commission proceedings were held partially in-camera because Witness C was testifying remotely and off camera. Witness C’s name has been withheld to protect his identity.
His testimony was led by one of the commission’s evidence leaders Advocate Ofentse Motlhasedi, who was assisted by Adv Mahlape Sello SC, another evidence leader of the commission.
The commission resumes on Monday at 9:30am with a new witness expected to take the stand.
Matlala rap sheetÂ
In his current case, Matlala (49), his wife Tsakani (36), two alleged hitmen Musa Kekana (35) and Tiego Floyd Mabusela (47), and Nthabiseng Nzama (23), who is the daughter of Mabusela, have been charged with the attempted murder of Thobejane.
The five accused are facing various charges including but not limited to attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, fraud, money laundering and defeating the ends of justice in connection with the alleged hit on Thobejane.
Their case returns to Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on November 11.
The three counts of attempted murder the accused are facing are in connection with the injuries sustained by Thobejane, and her friends Anele Malinga and Khumbulani Ncube from the alleged hit.
On the night of October 17 2023, the black BMW vehicle that Thobejane, Malinga and Ncube were travelling in was sprayed with a hail of bullets at the corner of Bryanston and Wilton Drive in Bryanston, Johannesburg. The shooting occurred between 10pm and 10:30pm.
Thobejane was shot in the foot, while Malinga, who has been left paralysed, was wounded in the spinal cord.
Tsakani and Nzama are out on R20 000 and R10 000 bail, respectively.
Kekana and Mabusela remain in police custody after abandoning their bail applications, while Matlala is in police custody after he was denied bail by the Johannesburg High Court on Monday.
The Johannesburg High Court decision comes after Matlala appealed the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court decision that denied him bail in September.
