Attempted murder-accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and murder-accused Katiso “KT” Molefe are leaders of an organised drug trafficking cartel operating in Gauteng known as the “Big Five’.
This was revealed on Monday by the South African Police Services (SAPS) divisional commissioner for crime intelligence Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo.
Khumalo was testifying at the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria.
Khumalo told evidence leader Advocate Adila Hassim SC that the SAPS political killings task team has identified that there was an organised drug cartel known as the “Big Five”.
He said this “Big Five” cartel’s main commodity is drug trafficking and other illicit activities, stating that the investigation into the cartel is ongoing.
Illicit drug trafficking
He said Matlala, Molefe and three unidentified individuals were members of the cartel. He stated that the police are aware of the other three members of the cartel, but he declined to name them publicly, promising to reveal them in his in camera testimony.
He said the cartel mainly operates in illicit drug trafficking nationally and internationally and also deals in contract killings, cross-border vehicle hijackings, kidnappings, tender fraud, and extortion primarily related to drug trafficking.
He said the cartel has syndicates operating under it.
“The head office of the Big Five drug cartel is in Gauteng, for obvious reasons. Gauteng is the economic powerhouse.
“The other three members of the cartel are being addressed. The Big Five has penetrated the political sphere. It has high-profile connections in the political area.
“To become a member of this cartel, you must currently hold an official position within the criminal justice system, own a registered private security company, and possess dual citizenship to facilitate movement across the borders of different countries.
“The objective of the cartel is to remain in operation for a very long time. I will outline how the cartel has captured key elements in the criminal justice system to sustain its operations,” said Khumalo.
WhatsApp communication
He said the political killings task team managed to obtain WhatsApp chats from Matlala’s cellphones, which show communication between him and police officers, metro police officers, and business people.
Khumalo said there is also evidence of WhatsApp communication between Matlala and businessman Brown Mogotsi, a comrade of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
He said there is also WhatsApp communication between Matlala and KZN Hawks head Major-General Lesetja Senona; between Matlala and Senona’s son Thato; between Matlala and acting chief of Ekurhuleni metro police Julius Mkhwanazi; between Matlala and businessman Suliman Kareem; and between Matlala and crime expert Calvin Rafadi.
Khumalo said the WhatsApp chats between Matlala and Mogotsi indicate that Matlala made payments to Mogotsi for Mchunu and Mogotsi’s ANC events, and payments to people linked to Mchunu.
Earlier, Khumalo said he is of the view that an organised criminal cartel influenced the police ministry to take a decision to disband the task team.
The commission continues on Tuesday with Khumalo’s testimony.
