Deputy Police Chief Gave Cat Matlala Illegal Blue Lights, Commission Hears

Ekurhuleni official allegedly registered private vehicles as municipal fleet, fitted them with emergency lights

Explosive testimony at the Madlanga Commission has revealed how businessman Cat Matlala allegedly received extraordinary privileges from law enforcement, including the illegal use of blue lights on his private vehicles courtesy of a senior Ekurhuleni police official.

Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi told the inquiry that Major General Mkhwanazi, the deputy chief of police at Ekurhuleni, facilitated an elaborate scheme that saw Matlala's personal vehicles registered as official municipal assets and fitted with restricted emergency lighting.

The Elaborate Scheme Exposed

According to the damning testimony, the deputy police chief orchestrated a systematic abuse of municipal resources that went far beyond simple favoritism. Mkhwanazi revealed that between four and five of Cat Matlala's private vehicles were fraudulently registered under the Ekurhuleni municipality using municipal funds.

"His personal vehicles were registered by the deputy chief of police at Ekurhuleni," Mkhwanazi testified. "He facilitated the registration of these Mr. Matlala's vehicles under the municipality as if they are municipality official vehicles, utilizing the funds from the municipality of Ekurhuleni."

The deception was so complete that when these vehicles were checked on official systems, they appeared to be legitimate municipal assets. But the scheme didn't stop at fraudulent registration.

Blue Lights: The Ultimate Privilege

Perhaps most shocking was the revelation about the blue lights - those distinctive emergency beacons reserved exclusively for authorized law enforcement vehicles. The deputy police chief allegedly arranged for municipal blue lights, intended for legitimate law enforcement vehicles, to be fitted onto Matlala's private cars.

"He took these vehicles and he caused the municipality to take the blue lights that belongs to municipality," Mkhwanazi explained. "The blue lights is supposed to be for the law enforcement vehicles within municipality and he fitted those blue lights in these vehicles and these vehicles were then given to Mr. Cat Matlala."

This wasn't a case of Matlala obtaining the lights through private channels - this was official law enforcement facilitating what amounts to impersonation of emergency services.

READ: Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala linked to vehicle finance scam and murder-for-hire syndicate

Breaking the Law at the Highest Level

Mkhwanazi's testimony laid out the stark illegality of the arrangement. Under South African traffic laws, only specific authorized bodies can use blue lights on public roads: the South African Police Service (SAPS), metro police, traffic police, and military police of the defense force.

"They are the only one authorized by law to make use of these blue lights," the Lieutenant General emphasized. "And even the utilization of the blue light is somehow regulated that you cannot just willy-nilly use a blue light. So it's an emergency light. It's a warning light."

The significance cannot be overstated - blue lights aren't decorative accessories. They signal to other road users that an emergency vehicle has right of way, and their unauthorized use can endanger lives and undermine legitimate emergency responses.

The Whistleblower's Fate

The scheme might have continued indefinitely if not for the integrity of one official. The commission heard that the chief of the municipality discovered the illegal arrangement and filed a complaint against his deputy. But rather than being rewarded for exposing corruption, he faced retaliation.

"According to his words he was suspended because the principal and municipality did not want him to pursue this investigation against his junior," Mkhwanazi revealed.

The chief had done everything by the book - he brought the matter to the attention of both the municipal executive and the city manager. Yet instead of action against the lawbreakers, the whistleblower found himself sidelined.

System-Wide Failure

What makes this case particularly damning is not just the initial crime, but the institutional response. Despite clear evidence that the law had been broken, despite a formal complaint from a senior official, and despite the matter being escalated to the highest levels of municipal management, little action was taken against those responsible.

"It will appear that not much was done to the person that was responsible for this despite the fact that the law was broken," Mkhwanazi testified.

This pattern - of laws being broken with impunity while those who expose wrongdoing face consequences - speaks to the broader themes emerging from the Madlanga Commission about corruption and capture within South Africa's institutions.

The Matlala Connection

Cat Matlala's name has surfaced repeatedly in various investigations and controversies, but this testimony reveals the extent of privileges allegedly granted to him by law enforcement officials. The blue lights represent more than just illegal equipment - they symbolize a level of protection and status typically reserved for the most senior government and security officials.

Having blue lights means never having to sit in traffic, never being delayed by congestion, and enjoying a level of road authority that puts you above ordinary citizens. For a private individual to have this privilege, especially one obtained through fraudulent means, represents a fundamental breakdown of the rule of law.

READ: Alexandra Magistrate’s Court Denies Bail to Vusmuzi “Cat” Matlala in Attempted Murder Case

Broader Implications

The Matlala blue lights scandal illustrates how corruption operates at multiple levels simultaneously. It required the active participation of a senior law enforcement official, the complicity or negligence of municipal systems, and the failure of oversight mechanisms designed to prevent exactly this type of abuse.

Moreover, it demonstrates how individuals with the right connections can obtain privileges that go far beyond financial benefit - they can acquire symbols of state authority itself. When private citizens can masquerade as emergency responders, the very concept of legitimate authority becomes meaningless.

Questions That Remain

The commission's investigation raises serious questions about accountability within Ekurhuleni and potentially other municipalities. How many other private individuals have been granted similar privileges? How extensive is this network of favors and illegal benefits? And most critically, what consequences will there finally be for those who facilitated these arrangements?

The testimony also highlights the vulnerability of whistleblowers in South Africa's system. When officials who expose corruption face suspension while those who break the law continue in their positions, it sends a chilling message about the cost of integrity.

As the Madlanga Commission continues its work, the Cat Matlala blue lights scandal stands as a perfect example of how corruption isn't just about money - it's about the abuse of state power, the erosion of legitimate authority, and the creation of a system where connections matter more than law.

The commission's findings will determine whether this represents an isolated case of municipal corruption or part of the broader pattern of state capture that has plagued South African institution