Lt Gen. Khumalo Presents WhatsApp Evidence Linking Cat Matlala to ANC Funding Through SAPS Network

High-Ranking Officer Reveals Communications Allegedly Showing Political Funding and Police Manipulation

Pretoria - In a significant development at the ongoing commission hearings, Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo presented compelling evidence on Monday that has raised serious questions about the intersection of business interests, police conduct, and political party funding within South Africa's law enforcement structures.

The Core Allegations

Lt Gen. Khumalo's testimony centered on WhatsApp communications that allegedly demonstrate how businessman Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala channeled payments to the African National Congress (ANC) through intermediary Brown Mogotsi. More troubling still, the evidence suggests that Mogotsi may have manipulated South African Police Service (SAPS) processes to provide protection for Matlala's operations.

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Breaking Down the Evidence Trail

The Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo presented four distinct sets of WhatsApp communications to the commission, each revealing a different facet of the alleged network:

The Political Connection

The first set of evidence (marked as WB1) comprises WhatsApp chats between Vusimuzi Matlala and Brown Mogotsi. According to Lt Gen. Khumalo, Mogotsi is a businessman with documented links to several SAPS officials. The communications allegedly show Mogotsi's involvement in funding activities for the Minister of Police within the ANC structure, raising immediate questions about conflicts of interest and the independence of police operations.

Brown Mogotsi's Role as Political Intermediary

In a revealing podcast interview, Brown Mogotsi openly acknowledged his close relationship with both Matlala and Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, admitting to serving as an intermediary between the two. Mogotsi confirmed that he received financial assistance from Matlala, which he used to help others, including paying for someone's studies in artificial intelligence.

Most significantly, Mogotsi admitted that Matlala repeatedly expressed his desire to meet Minister Mchunu to air his frustrations about being targeted by what Matlala called "the political attacks team." When questioned why Matlala would approach him for such access, Mogotsi revealed: "He knows I'm his comrade. I'm the one who was running his branding when he wanted, when Senzo Mchunu wanted to be secretary general of the ANC in 2017. I was running his branding."

This admission establishes Mogotsi as a direct link between Minister Mchunu and Matlala, raising serious questions about the appropriateness of such connections. When confronted about the problematic nature of trying to connect someone facing criminal allegations to the Police Minister, Mogotsi defended himself by claiming he viewed Mchunu "as a comrade" rather than in his police capacity, and that in January, "Cat Matlala was not arrested. I didn't know him as a criminal."

However, Mogotsi's own account suggests he was aware of Matlala's concerns about police attention, recalling Matlala saying, "the police after me, what what what political task team and all those things." This acknowledgment undermines his claim of ignorance about the controversial nature of Matlala's situation.

Senior SAPS Leadership Implicated

Perhaps most damaging are the communications marked as WB2, which detail WhatsApp exchanges between Matlala and Major General Senona, who serves as the head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) in KwaZulu-Natal. The DPCI, commonly known as the Hawks, is South Africa's elite investigative unit tasked with combating serious corruption and organized crime.

The involvement of such a senior investigative official in direct communications with a businessman under scrutiny presents significant concerns about the integrity of investigations and the potential for interference in police work.

A Family Connection

Adding another layer to the allegations, Lt Gen. Khumalo presented evidence marked as WB3 showing WhatsApp communications between Matlala and Thato Senona, identified as the son of Major General Senona. This familial connection raises additional questions about the nature and extent of the relationships between the businessman and senior police officials.

Metropolitan Police Links

The fourth set of evidence (WB4) reveals communications between Matlala and Julius Mkwanazi, identified as the acting chief of police in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department. This broadens the scope of the alleged network beyond national SAPS structures to include metropolitan policing, suggesting a wide-reaching web of connections.

READ: EMPD Chief Julius Mkhwanazi on Special Leave Amid Allegations of Ties to Cat Matlala |

Implications for Police Independence

Lt Gen. Khumalo's testimony strikes at the heart of concerns about police independence and integrity within South Africa's law enforcement agencies. The allegations that processes within SAPS could be manipulated to shield individuals connected to political funding operations represent a serious threat to the rule of law.

The involvement of officials at various levels of police command—from metropolitan police leadership to the head of a provincial Hawks unit—suggests systemic vulnerabilities that could undermine public confidence in law enforcement.

The Minister Mchunu Connection

The relationship triangle between Matlala, Mogotsi, and Minister Senzo Mchunu adds a particularly troubling dimension to these allegations. Mogotsi's admission that he served as Mchunu's branding manager during the minister's 2017 campaign for ANC Secretary General, combined with his acknowledged role as an intermediary attempting to arrange meetings between Matlala and the minister, creates apparent conflicts of interest at the highest level of police leadership.

The fact that someone facing police attention allegedly sought access to the Police Minister through a political associate, and that this associate saw nothing problematic with facilitating such contact, reveals potential gaps in ethical boundaries between political operations and law enforcement functions. This is especially concerning given Mogotsi's admission that he received financial assistance from Matlala—the very person seeking ministerial access.

READ: Organized Crime in SA SAPS: Fannie Masemola Connects Mchunu, Mogotsi, and Matlala |

Questions About Political Party Funding

The testimony also reignites debates about political party funding transparency in South Africa. While the Political Party Funding Act has introduced new disclosure requirements, the allegations presented by Lt Gen. Khumalo suggest that informal funding channels may still operate outside regulatory oversight.

The claimed connection between business interests, alleged police protection, and funding for political activities within the ANC raises questions about:

• The source of funds being channeled to political activities
• Whether proper disclosure procedures were followed
• The potential for quid pro quo arrangements between donors and those in positions of power
• The effectiveness of current oversight mechanisms

The Matlala-Mogotsi Financial Relationship

Mogotsi's acknowledgment that he received financial assistance from Matlala—assistance he then distributed to others, including funding educational programs—raises critical questions about the nature and extent of Matlala's financial influence. If Matlala was providing funds to someone with direct access to the police minister and connections throughout SAPS, this could constitute an attempt to buy influence or protection.

Mogotsi's characterization of his excitement about arranging a meeting between Matlala and Minister Mchunu, despite being aware that Matlala was complaining about police attention, suggests either a troubling naivety about conflicts of interest or a deliberate disregard for the ethical boundaries that should separate political relationships from law enforcement operations.

What Happens Next?

The commission will need to examine the WhatsApp communications in detail, verify their authenticity, and potentially call the individuals mentioned in the chats to provide testimony. The evidence presented by Lt Gen. Khumalo could trigger further investigations by anti-corruption agencies and may have significant political ramifications.

For Major General Senona, Julius Mkwanazi, and other officials named in the testimony, the allegations present serious professional challenges that will require comprehensive responses. The SAPS leadership will face pressure to address the apparent breakdown in ethical standards and the potential compromise of investigative independence.

Ministerial Accountability Questions

Minister Senzo Mchunu will likely face difficult questions about his relationship with both Mogotsi and, by extension, Matlala. While Mogotsi attempted to distinguish between his political relationship with Mchunu and the minister's police role, such distinctions become meaningless when the person seeking access is allegedly facing police investigations and when the intermediary admits to receiving financial support from that same person.

The minister will need to clarify whether he was aware of Mogotsi's relationship with Matlala, whether any meetings occurred, and what safeguards exist to prevent political relationships from compromising police operations. Given Mogotsi's admission that he ran Mchunu's branding campaign in 2017, questions will also arise about whether any financial connections existed between Mchunu's political operations and funds allegedly provided by Matlala through Mogotsi.

Broader Context

This testimony comes amid ongoing concerns about state capture, corruption within law enforcement, and the need for comprehensive police reform in South Africa. Lt Gen. Khumalo's willingness to present such evidence publicly demonstrates both the depth of problems within policing structures and the existence of officers committed to exposing wrongdoing.

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As the commission continues its work, South Africans will be watching closely to see whether the evidence leads to accountability and meaningful reform, or whether it becomes yet another chapter in a long story of alleged corruption without consequences.

The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether this testimony marks a turning point in addressing the entanglement of business interests, political funding, and police conduct, or whether the institutions tasked with accountability will prove capable of confronting powerful networks of influence.

This is a developing story. Further updates will be provided as the commission proceedings continue and additional evidence comes to light.