By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Witness C took the stand to testify at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, into allegations of criminality, political interference and corruption in the criminal justice system.
Witnesses A, B and C, all police officers, have been testifying in camera at the commission this week from safe locations. Their voices have been broadcast but their faces and identities have not been disclosed.
He testified that information gathered in the kidnapping of Pretoria businessman Jerry Boshoga suggested his business partner, Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, had kidnapped him.
A search-and-seizure operation was executed on 6 December 2024 at Matlala’s Centurion home. Witness C, accompanied by 20 police combat members, arrived at 2pm and conducted a thorough search of the property but found no trace of Boshoga, who remains missing.
Matlala is currently on trial for the attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend, Tebogo Thobejane, and is alleged in testimony at the Madlanga Commission to be a key figure in a drug cartel known as the Big Five. Top police officers testified that the cartel has infiltrated South Africa’s politics and law enforcement.
Matlala is also alleged to have tried to push for the disbandment of the PKTT, and was allegedly informed by North West businessman Brown Mogotsi of sidelined police minister Senzo Mchunu’s move to disband the team.
The December 2024 operation coincided with simultaneous raids to arrest Katiso “KT” Molefe, also alleged to be a member of the Big Five, and his nephew, Lucky Molefe.
Witness C said that as the police interviewed Matlala, “He started to tell us that he was the recipient of the SAPS health tender worth R1.2-billion for three years.”
Matlala was awarded a R360-million SAPS health services contract in 2024, which was later cancelled. It’s unclear whether the R1.2-billion referred to was Witness C’s mistake, or if Matlala had inflated the amount of his contract.
“We never asked whether he had a tender with the SAPS. He started name-dropping senior police officials.”
Matlala then said he was closely connected to deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya, SAPS crime intelligence head Feroz Khan and organised crime head Richard Shibiri.
“He told us he knew we were coming to his house that day. He told us he was tipped off by two calls.”
Witness C said Matlala told them he was tipped off by a Sgt FE Nkosi, and provided his particulars, showed them a bank account and a screenshot where Nkosi made an inquiry in the SAPS system.
“On that screenshot, his persal number was reflected.” They also did a profiling on Nkosi, confirming he was a police officer.
Matlala also told the police that Nkosi was his connection to Sibiya and “in most cases he would give Nkosi money through transfers for his personal use [and] for the general, he would summon Nkosi to come and collect the money packages”.
They investigated the allegations made by Matlala and found he did not have a R1.2bn tender with the police but a R360m tender.
Meanwhile, Matlala — who is appealing his bail denial at the Johannesburg High Court — faces charges of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and money laundering.