Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala Allegedly Threatened to Expose Minister Senzo Mchunu After His R360 million Tender was Canceled, Claiming He Was Used, Revealing He Recorded All Calls and Funded R500,000 for ANC Campaign Delegates
Witness C told the Madlanga Commission that businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala threatened to expose Minister Senzo Mchunu and his associate Brown Mogotsi after feeling exploited. Matlala claimed he had recorded every phone call and intended to make the recordings public before the High Court.
Matlala reportedly told investigators that he had contributed R500,000 toward Mchunu’s ANC campaign, including flights and accommodation for delegates attending the January 8 celebrations in Cape Town. The payments were allegedly made through Kgotle Specialists, with Mogotsi acting as the intermediary.
According to Witness C, Matlala felt betrayed after believing his financial support would guarantee protection from police investigations. He claimed the relationship with Mchunu and Mogotsi was based on political convenience rather than loyalty.
When the promised protection failed to materialize, Matlala approached former Police Minister Bheki Cele. During the meeting, he complained that Mchunu’s associates were manipulating him and pressuring him to file false cases against police officers.
Witness C said Cele advised Matlala not to pursue false charges and to withdraw any fabricated complaints. Shortly after that meeting, on 13 May 2025, Matlala’s SAPS tender contract was canceled, deepening his resentment.
Feeling abandoned, Matlala told the police he would expose everything he had recorded, accusing Mchunu and Mogotsi of corruption and betrayal. Witness C said the businessman’s threat came from frustration and the collapse of his political connections.
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