By Johnathan Paoli
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi told Parliament that a handwritten prison letter and details surrounding his April 2025 meeting with businessman Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala reinforced his suspicions of political interference in policing.
Appearing before Parliament’s ad hoc committee on the final day of oral hearings into allegations first made by the Lieutenant General at a press briefing in July 2025, Mkhwanazi said the letter, written by inmate Jermaine Prim, contained details that had not previously been made public, including references to his meeting with Matlala.
He said that made the document difficult to dismiss outright, even though it remained hearsay until independently tested.
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“This person talks about things that we did not talk about here, there are too many things here that might be relevant. There’s drug issues that was spoken about in the letter,” Mkhwanazi said.
Mkhwanazi said the letter reached him through an indirect chain involving other inmates, an acquaintance linked to Nhlamulo Ndhlela, Ndhlela’s father, and one of Mkhwanazi’s relatives in Johannesburg. He said the significance of the letter was that it appeared to contain insider knowledge, including details about how, since suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu allegedly obtained an affidavit from Matlala.
Mkhwanazi told the committee the claims echoed allegations already emerging in testimony before the committee and the Madlanga commission.
He again alleged that Mchunu had been influenced by outside forces when he moved to disband the Political Killings Task Team.
“Minister Mchunu was captured to write that letter. I’m still convinced Minister Mchunu was made to do what he did,” Mkhwanazi said.
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He also defended his April 2025 meeting with Matlala in Umhlanga, saying it was part of a legitimate information-gathering exercise and not an improper relationship with a suspected underworld figure.
He said the meeting had been arranged through KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Major-General Lesetja Senona, who said Matlala had information about criminal networks and senior police officials.
“A police officer will meet people to obtain information. I wasn’t meeting Cat to party,” Mkhwanazi said.
He said he had no reason at the time to doubt Senona’s assurance that Matlala could be used as a source, and said the meeting was tightly controlled and secretly recorded.
According to Mkhwanazi, Matlala used the encounter to make allegations against suspended deputy national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya and to mention controversial businessman Steve Motsumi in relation to alleged criminal and law-enforcement links.
Mkhwanazi rejected Matlala’s version of events, including the claim that former police minister Bheki Cele had arranged the meeting or that Mkhwanazi was seeking to interfere in criminal matters. “Matlala lied that Cele organised the meeting, it was Senona,” he said, adding: “I have never interfered with anything.”
Mkhwanazi also upped his attack on SAPS Crime Intelligence and the police vetting environment, singling out Major-General Feroz Khan and describing the office as “dirty”.
“Everything happening in intelligence, Khan is at the centre. It’s a dirty office,” Mkhwanazi said.
“When there is no peace among thieves, you’ll see what you’ll see,” Mkhwanazi said.
His testimony, however, continued to rely heavily on second-hand accounts, disputed intelligence and allegations that have not been tested in court.
Even so, Mkhwanazi remained defiant, portraying his controversial July 2025 media briefing as a last resort after internal reporting channels had failed. “So, what else do I do? Let me then tell South Africans,” he said.
The committee is expected to compile its report by 31 March.