By Johnathan Paoli
The Madlanga Commission adjourned on Thursday afternoon after a tense interrogation of North West businessman Brown Mogotsi, whose testimony again drew sharp disbelief from chief evidence leader Advocate Matthew Chaskalson.
The session, dominated by questions about his communications with suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and alleged underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, underscored the commission’s growing frustration with what it views as a pattern of implausible explanations, contradictions, and evasions.
After lunch, Chaskalson resumed by outlining the risks inherent in an operation led by Mogotsi involving an allegedly corrupt police officer.
He put it to Mogotsi that his false claim of working in the minister’s office could easily have been exposed if the informant, encouraged by a Hawks officer, emailed Mchunu directly.
Despite Mogotsi’s earlier claims that he could block such contact, Chaskalson noted that both Mchunu and former acting crime intelligence boss Nhlanhla Nkabinde have publicly accessible email addresses.
This set the tone for a renewed examination of Mogotsi’s messages with Mchunu.
The evidence leader argued that Mogotsi’s references to meetings involving Sibiya, Nkabinde, and matters concerning Generals Mkhwanazi and Khumalo were actually attempts to push charges based on false evidence allegedly promised by the so-called crooked police officer.
Mogotsi denied this, insisting that the planned but never held meeting was simply to address why Mkhwanazi had a problem with him.
Chaskalson dismissed this explanation as self-evidently false, saying Mogotsi had failed to produce any rational reason why such senior police officials would spend time on what appeared to be a personal grievance.
The commission then spent extensive time on WhatsApp exchanges between Mogotsi and Matlala on 31 December 2024.
In these, Mogotsi wrote that he was worried about outstanding issues, warning Matlala that “today is D-Day” and advising him to “stand back… for your safety and business”.
Chaskalson argued that the timing clearly linked this “D-Day” to the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).
Mogotsi insisted the messages referred only to outstanding payments for the ANC’s January 8 celebrations, for which he claims Matlala owed him money.
But the exchanges revealed further tensions: Matlala responded that his contribution towards the minister would continue, expressing willingness to assist Mchunu for whatever the minister needs, though he did not want to fight losing battles.
Chaskalson pointed to these messages as evidence that Mogotsi appeared to be facilitating financial interventions with political implications.
Mogotsi struggled to explain a separate message in which he asked Matlala if he could “intervene on the membership for two regions, R12,5k each”, adding, “We are going to lose voters.”
Pressed further, Mogotsi insisted he had no authority to seek funds in Mchunu’s name, adding that any fundraising for a potential ANC presidential campaign would have begun later.
He repeated that some of his messages to Matlala were part of a fabricated attempt to appear aligned with Mchunu’s office, including pretending to be the minister’s chief of staff in one communication.
The commission also returned to the contentious question of how Mogotsi learned of PKTT’s disbandment.
Although he claimed it was widely shared on social media, Chaskalson said a comprehensive search showed the first public reference came only when a journalist posted about it on 2 January 2025.
Yet Mogotsi had told Matlala of the decision on New Year’s Day, hours before sending him the official letter on 2 January after purporting to verify it.
When asked how he predicted that all PKTT dockets would be sent to Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, Mogotsi insisted that it happened just like that.
Commissioners expressed disbelief, with one directly asking why he would not just admit someone told him.
The inquiry also probed his use of funds provided by Matlala, including paying for travel for his Crime Intelligence handler, which resulted in Matlala receiving the handler’s personal information.
Mogotsi confirmed that Matlala should not have access to Crime Intelligence documentation, yet claimed this sharing was inconsequential.
The commission adjourned until Tuesday, with Mogotsi’s legal team expected to confirm when he will return to testify.
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