Brown Mogotsi, a North West businessman and comrade of police minister Senzo Mchunu, will be testifying at the Madlanga commission of inquiry on Tuesday as the commission enters phase two of its work. Mchunu is currently on special leave.
The commission’s spokesperson, Jeremy Michaels, said Mogotsi will testify for two days, from Tuesday, November 18, until Wednesday, November 19, at the commission sitting at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria.
The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System is chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.
Mkhwanazi fingered Mogotsi
Mogotsi’s name was initially thrust into the limelight on July 6 during a bombshell press conference by KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi when he said alleged drug cartel member Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala was awarded a South African Police Service (SAPS) tender worth more than R360-million in 2024.
Mkhwanazi said on May 13 2025, national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola cancelled the SAPS tender awarded to Matlala, a day before his arrest for his alleged role in the attempted murder of his ex-lover Tebogo Thobejane, a famous television actress and influencer.
Mkhwanazi said he is in possession of WhatsApp communication between Matlala and Mogotsi allegedly discussing how Mogotsi is working to get Mchunu and suspended deputy national commissioner of police for crime detection Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya to interfere and suppress the police investigations into Matlala.
He said he has proofs of payment showing that Matlala funded the ANC political activities and events of Mchunu and Mogotsi.
Mkhwanazi said he believes that Mchunu and Sibiya took a decision to disband the KZN SAPS political killings task team because it raided Matlala’s home in December 2024, and because it was making inroads in certain Gauteng cases.
Text messages between Mogotsi and Matlala
During his testimony at the Madlanga commission in September, national head of crime intelligence Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo showed the commission WhatsApp exchanges between Mogotsi and Matlala.
The communication between Matlala and Mogotsi showed that Matlala paid for the flights and accommodation of eight ANC members linked to Mogotsi so that they can attend the ANC’s January 8 Statement presidential gala dinner that took place in Cape Town on January 10 this year.
Moreover, on October 16, police visited Mogotsi’s business premises in Mahikeng, North West.
“The SAPS confirms that there is police presence at the business premises of Mr Brown Mogotsi in Seweding Village in Mahikeng. This visit is part of an ongoing investigation that has already been discussed before the ad hoc committee [in parliament] and the Madlanga Commission,” said national police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe at the time.
Questionable shooting incident
On the night of November 3, Mogotsi was allegedly shot at while driving a red vehicle in Vosloorus, east of Johannesburg. Mogotsi was unharmed after the alleged shooting.
After the shooting incident, Mathe said police successfully executed the search and seizure warrant that was issued on October 16 for Mogotsi.
Mathe said the search and seizure operation was in connection with a case of fraud, corruption, and defeating the ends of justice that police are investigating. She said the police also seized certain devices from Mogotsi.
She said police are investigating an attempted murder case in relation to the shooting at the vehicle Mogotsi was travelling in.
Persons of interest to answer to allegations
Meanwhile, Michaels said Phase One of the commission was to formally place the “untested allegations” by Mkhwanazi before the commission, setting the foundation for the entire inquiry. He said Phase One was also about corroborating and substantiating allegations made by Mkhwanazi but not testing these allegations. Mkhwanazi was the commission’s first witness.
Michaels said phase two of the commission is about giving persons of interest—individuals who have been implicated in phase one—the opportunity to place before the commission their version and/or response to the allegations.
He said Phase Two will run into the early part of 2026.
Michaels said Phase Three of the commission is about Mkhwanazi and other key witnesses appearing again to address the perspectives and counter-allegations presented by the implicated persons during Phase Two and to have their evidence in Phase One tested before the commission.
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