Alleged drug cartel member Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala told police he funded Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s alleged ANC presidential campaign by paying R500, 000 towards flights, accommodation, and entertainment.
This information was revealed by Witness C on Thursday at the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System taking place at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria.
The commission is chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.
Thursday’s commission proceedings were held partially in camera because Witness C was testifying remotely and off camera. His name has been withheld to protect his identity.
Witness C’s explosive testimony
Witness C said he is a member of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) political killings task team (PKTT). He is also a certified forensic investigator specialising in fraud and corruption investigations.
He said he joined the PKTT in May 2020. On December 2 2024 he was deployed to assist the Gauteng organised crime unit with its investigations.
His testimony is led by the commission’s evidence leader, Advocate Ofentse Motlhasedi, who is assisted by Adv Mahlape Sello SC, another evidence leader of the commission.
During his testimony, Witness C told the commission that after police arrested Matlala in Midrand in May, he told them that he paid R500, 000 to fund Mchunu’s alleged ANC presidential campaign. Mchunu is currently on special leave.
Witness C said Matlala told police that he communicated with Mchunu’s comrade, Brown Mogotsi, to make the R500, 000 payments.
Witness C played an audio recording for the commission, where Matlala is heard telling Witness C that he funded Mchunu’s alleged campaign.
More links between Matlala and Mchunu
Two weeks ago, Witness X showed the commission WhatsApp chats between Mogotsi and Matlala. These date from December 19 2024 to May 14 2025.
The chats between Matlala and Mogotsi showed that Matlala paid for the flights, accommodation and entertainment 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.
Meanwhile, Witness C said Matlala told police that he gave money in cash to suspended deputy national commissioner of police responsible for crime detection, Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya, SAPS national head of organised crime Maj-Gen Richard Shibiri and Maj-Gen Feroz Khan, who is part of SAPS’ national crime intelligence unit.
Witness C played audio recordings for the commission. Matlala is heard telling Witness C that he gave money to Sibiya, Shibiri and Khan.
The commission resumes on Monday, November 3 at 9.30am.
Up on attempted murder charges
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 Tebogo 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 are in connection with the injuries sustained by Thobejane. Also based on injuries suffered by her friends Anele Malinga and Khumbulani Ncube, from the alleged hit.
On the night of October 17 2023, Thobejane, Malinga and Ncube were travelling in a black BMW vehicle. It was sprayed with a hail of bullets at the corner of Bryanston and Wilton Drive in Bryanston, Sandton, Johannesburg. The shooting occurred between 10pm and 10.30pm.
Thobejane was shot in the foot. Malinga was wounded and shot in the spinal cord. Malinga has been left paralysed.
Tsakani and Nzama are out on R20, 000 and R10, 000 bail, respectively.
Kekana, Mabusela and Matlala remain in police custody. Kekana and Mabusela abandoned their bail applications. Matlala 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.
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