By Johnathan Paoli
Police sergeant Fannie Nkosi has revealed that controversial tender kingpin Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala allegedly maintained powerful connections and allies inside the South African Police Service’s finance division.
Nkosi named head of Supply Chain Management (SCM), Lieutenant-General Molefe Fani, and Brigadier Glenda Bokaba as officials he understood to be ‘Matlala’s people’.
He also intimated that it was this network that enabled Matlala to navigate and influence the flow of lucrative police tenders and personal favours to the top cops.
Appearing before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Monday, Nkosi testified that Matlala himself had indicated he had connections within SAPS finance.
“Matlala had his people in finance which he would drop their names. Matlala told me that Bokaba and Fani were his people inside SAPS,” said Nkosi.
ALSO READ: Parliament rejects Thabo Bester bid to address SAPS Ad-Hoc Committee
“Not exact words, but sometimes he’ll say he’s coming to head office to meet with Brigadier Bokaba and sometimes with General Fanie.”
Nkosi made the claims while explaining how Matlala appeared to have access to internal information regarding payments linked to a lucrative SAPS tender.
Pressed on why Matlala was sending him screenshots of internal payment screens linked to SAPS contracts, Nkosi insisted he had no influence over the payments and claimed the businessman had contacts at senior levels of the police’s supply chain management structures.
Nkosi told the commission that Matlala had said the officials were providing him with information relating to the status of his SAPS payments.
“He said Brigadier Bokaba and General Fannie are the ones who provided him with the payment screens,” Nkosi testified.
The screenshots in question were sent to Nkosi on 25 November 2024 and appeared to show internal SAPS payment processes related to Matlala’s contract with the police.
ALSO READ: Mkhwanazi to face Parliament over torture, power-struggle allegations
In a WhatsApp message accompanying the images, Matlala wrote: “Maybe it will reflect tomorrow,” apparently referring to the anticipated processing of the payments.
Nkosi later forwarded the screenshots to suspended SAPS Organised Crime head Major-General Richard Shibiri, telling the commission he did so because Matlala had previously complained to Shibiri about delays in the payment of his SAPS contract.
However, Chaskalson pressed Nkosi on why Matlala would have access to internal SAPS financial information in the first place.
Nkosi responded that the businessman had repeatedly suggested he had contacts inside the police.
Asked how often Matlala claimed to have met them, Nkosi estimated that such meetings had occurred “five to ten times”.
Nkosi also suggested that Matlala’s network within the police might extend beyond the two named officials.
ALSO READ: Nkosi outlines how Ze Nxumalo took charge of the Khawula case
“Within their two offices, there are more people that are connected to Cat Matlala,” he told the commission.
The sergeant insisted that, as a junior officer, he had no authority to influence the payment of SAPS tenders and rejected suggestions that the messages Matlala sent him were intended to thank him for helping facilitate payments.
The allegations emerged during questioning about a series of WhatsApp exchanges involving Nkosi, Matlala and other figures connected to the controversial SAPS contract.
The commission adjourned, with Nkosi expected to continue his testimony on Tuesday.
INSIDE POLITICS