KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has detailed why the names of the three members behind the so-called Big Five drug cartel have not been made public.
The Big Five is a cartel involving tenderpreneurs notorious for drug trafficking and other illicit activities. Mkhwanazi said members of the cartel were well-resourced and lived lavish lifestyles.
He said this when appearing before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee on state security corruption on Wednesday.
Living large on state tenders
“I must say honourable chair, members, these are tenderpreneurs. These are the people that government has been awarding tenders to. They are quiet big financially, they are part of this whole lot.
“We did not put their names because we did not want to implicate people before they appear before court, except the others. At the place where we feel comfortable we name the names. And the others that we are not comfortable with we do not put the names,” said Mkhwanazi.
Mkhwanazi named the controversial tenderpreneur and attempted murder accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and murder accused Katiso “KT” Molefe have only been named because they have appeared before court. But the other three remain anonymous until they appear in court. Both Matlala and Molefe have previously won tenders amounting to hundreds of millions of rands.
Crime intelligence team can reveal other names
Mkhwanazi said three other members of this cartel are known to him. But he advised that the committee rather invite the crime intelligence team that is investigating the matter to give their evidence in-camera.
The SAPS divisional commissioner for crime intelligence Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo had also told the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption, led by former Justice Mbuyiseni Madlanga, that the political killings task team had identified this cartel.
Khumalo also promised to reveal the other three names of the members when he gives his evidence in-camera.
He revealed to the commission that the cartel mainly operates in illicit drug trafficking nationally and internationally.
It allegedly also deals in contract killings, cross-border vehicle hijackings, kidnappings and tender fraud. Also extortion primarily related to drug trafficking. He said it also has syndicates working under it.
“To become a member of this cartel, you must currently hold an official position within the criminal justice system. [You must] 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.
