By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The South African Police Services (SAPS) crime intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo continued his testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
On Monday he exposed a powerful criminal cartel known as the ‘Big Five’.
Khumalo told the commission that the ‘Big 5’ cartel had become one of the most sophisticated criminal organisations in the country, operating from its base in Gauteng.
He said the cartel’s main commodity was drugs but its activities also included hijacking, human trafficking, tender fraud, contract killings, extortion and ATM bombings for quick cash flow.
He described the cartel structure as highly organised, with a leader maintaining firm control over core departments.
“The Big 5 have already penetrated the political sphere and there are documented cases of high-profile connections to the political arena, senior politicians alleged to be complicit and or willfully blind to the syndicate operations,” said Khumalo.
He said the cartel recruits individuals with proven criminal histories, often with charges withdrawn because of its influence. Legitimate businesses are used as fronts to launder money and extend reach.
On Tuesday he spent hours reading messages between attempted murder accused and tender tycoon Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and North West ANC businessman Brown Mogotsi. (KwaZulu-Natal police boss Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi previously alleged that Matlala was financially supporting the political aspirations of Mogotsi and Senzo Mchunu, who was police minister at the time.)
Screenshots of the many messages were shown, and Khumalo at times provided context and analysis beyond these.
The messages, if accepted as is, paint a worrying picture of favours in exchange for money involving Matlala, whom Khumalo on Monday alleged was part of a drug trafficking cartel, and political figures.
Overall, the messages suggest Mogotsi had access to information from within South African Police Service circles, and shared this with Matlala.
Khumalo also alleged that the chats between Matlala and Mogotsi pointed towards Matlala having a “special relationship with General Khan”. It appeared this was a reference to Feroz Khan, the head of counterintelligence and security at Crime Intelligence.
Misinformation was a theme throughout Khumalo’s testimony, who said that facts had been tweaked to suit certain agendas in between all these happenings.
Earlier in the day we heard that Mogotsi promised Matlala favours in return for his funding of trips to Cape Town by ANC cadres.
Matlala transferred about R150,000 to pay for a January 2025 trip for Mogotsi and associates. The commission is expected to resume on Wednesday at 9.30am.