By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The controversial businessman and political fixer Brown Mogotsi retracted allegations that KZN police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and King Misuzulu kaZwelithini were CIA agents, apologising for his unsubstantiated claims.
Mogotsi, once a key lobbyist for President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 2017 ANC leadership bid, is accused of acting as a go-between for sidelined police minister Senzo Mchunu and alleged crime boss Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
Mogotsi backtracked on Tuesday while appearing before Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating claims of corruption, state capture and political interference in the criminal justice system.
Mogotsi had alleged that Mkhwanazi and the Zulu king had been recruited by the CIA, the United States’ intelligence agency.
He initially distanced himself from being the originator of the claim, saying he had received the information from a source.
Pressed on what concrete detail his source provided to support the claim that the Zulu king and Mkhwanazi had been recruited by the CIA, Mogotsi responded: “The king stayed in the US, and Mkhwanazi would often say he was trained by Americans. That’s where everything started.”
Mogotsi also claimed that he spoke to the late former police minister Nathi Mthethwa in August 2025 about Mkhwanazi’s supposed CIA links. He said Mthethwa shared the same concerns. Mthethwa died in Paris in September while serving as South Africa’s ambassador to France.
However, he acknowledged that his source had provided no evidence.
Mogotsi also accused Mkhwanazi of sending members of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) to intimidate, harass and attempt to kill members of the royal house associated with AmaZulu Prince Simakade.
He told the committee that the information had come to him as part of a task from his handler concerning Mkhwanazi and King Misuzulu.
Mogotsi also ventured into allegations inside Crime Intelligence, tracing them back to December 2020 when he was allegedly approached by the late deputy national police commissioner, Sindile Mfazi.
The committee heard that Mfazi had allegedly asked Mogotsi to investigate irregularities in vehicle procurement and the handling of informant payments. Mogotsi claimed he uncovered evidence of inflated claims and cash-based payouts that did not comply with policy.
According to Mogotsi, Mfazi’s request came in the wake of the PPE procurement scandal that had led to the arrest of senior Crime Intelligence figures.
Mfazi died in 2021 – Mogotsi told the commission that his death was under investigation as a suspected poisoning. He concluded his testimony and will now be required to appear at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on the 2nd of March 2026.