Madlanga Commission Explosive Testimony: Brown Mogotsi Claims Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala Bribed KZN Police Boss Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi Over R360m Tender

Madlanga Commission

Pretoria – In a stunning turn at the Madlanga Commission, North West businessman Brown Mogotsi has dropped fresh bombshells, alleging that alleged crime kingpin Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala met with KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi at his home in Durban. Mogotsi, testifying on Tuesday, 18 November 2025, said Matlala handed over cash to Mkhwanazi as a kickback tied to a massive R360 million health tender from the South African Police Service. This claim adds fuel to the fire in an inquiry already packed with tales of corruption, bribes, and shady deals in the justice system.

Mogotsi, who calls himself a long-time police informant, painted a picture of deep-rooted meddling where top cops and politicians mix with underworld figures. His words come as the commission hits phase two, giving those named in earlier evidence a shot to respond. With the probe set to stretch into early 2026, these revelations could shake up trust in law enforcement even more.

Mogotsi’s Background: From Liberation Fighter to Crime Intelligence Agent

To set the stage, Mogotsi shared his own story. He started as an operative in Umkhonto we Sizwe during the fight against apartheid, honing skills in secret intelligence gathering from 1993 to 1995. By 1999, he became an official informant for the South African Police Service. A decade later, in 2009, he stepped up to a full agent role in Crime Intelligence, working undercover without any badges or papers for safety.
As a “contact agent,” Mogotsi said his job was to build fake stories – or “legends” – to get close to targets and pass on tips without blowing covers. He has a main handler named Mazibuko and a backup one whose name he kept under wraps in open court. This setup lets him dig into big players, like probing claims that link police bosses to foreign spies or dodgy tenders.
Mogotsi also survived a scary brush with death. In Vosloorus on the East Rand, gunmen riddled his car with bullets in what looked like a hit job. He got away unhurt, and police are still looking into it. These experiences, he said, show the dangers of his work but also why he is speaking out now.
The Alleged Meeting: Matlala’s Prison Call and the Bribe Claim
The heart of Mogotsi’s testimony zeroed in on Matlala, the man facing charges for attempted murder and linked to a major drug cartel called the Big Five. Matlala’s company, Medicare24 Tshwane District, scored a R360 million deal in June 2024 to handle health-risk services for police officers. But it fell apart fast, with National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola scrapping it in May 2025 amid red flags.
Mogotsi said Matlala rang him from behind bars on 6 July 2025, right after watching Mkhwanazi’s press briefing on TV. Fuming, Matlala spilled that he had met Mkhwanazi at his house in Umhlanga Ridge, Durban, earlier that year. The goal? To “get help” sorting out tender troubles, like delayed payments and police probes dogging him.
But it went deeper. “Matlala said in that very meeting he gave Mkhwanazi money which was a portion that came from his tender money,” Mogotsi told the commission. He backed this up by saying he once tailed Matlala to a spot in Durban without knowing it was Mkhwanazi’s place at the time. This alleged cash handover fits a pattern of kickbacks Matlala supposedly dished out to grease wheels in high places.
Matlala’s woes did not stop there. He is on trial for trying to kill his ex-girlfriend, Tebogo Thobejane, and faces heat over kidnapping a businessman. His links to the drug world have him pegged as a key player in smuggling and political fixes.

Wider Bribe Allegations: Cele, Masemola, and More in the Mix

Mogotsi did not stop at Mkhwanazi. He claimed Matlala griped about other top cops demanding shares of the tender pie. In a December 2024 chat, Matlala allegedly said Masemola wanted R25 million, with R5 million already paid. Former Police Minister Bheki Cele supposedly asked for R10 million but got just R2 million so far. Matlala called them “ungrateful” for not holding up their end amid his growing legal mess.
Cele has pushed back, saying he only met Matlala in December 2024 through a taxi boss’s son in Durban. But Mogotsi countered with a 2018 Crime Intelligence report on the Boko Haram gang – a crew extorting shop owners in Mamelodi. That dossier named Matlala as “John Wick,” the hitman who took out gang members in vigilante-style killings back in 2021. Mogotsi said Cele knew about this report years ago, blowing holes in his story.
Adding spice, Mogotsi tied Matlala to political funding. He allegedly forked out R500 000 to back suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s bid for ANC president. In return, Matlala sought cover from probes. Mogotsi admitted asking Matlala for that cash to cover flights and stays for eight ANC folks at a Cape Town gala in early 2025. A recording played in court has a voice thought to be Matlala’s confirming the money was for Mchunu’s ambitions.
Mogotsi stressed he is tight with Mchunu as comrades, but denied direct ties to the PKTT disbandment letter. He found out about Mchunu’s December 2024 note to shut down the Political Killings Task Team through social media, then shared it with Matlala to build trust.

Shocking CIA Links: Mkhwanazi and King Misuzulu Accused

In a wild twist, Mogotsi alleged Mkhwanazi and Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini are CIA recruits. He said suspicions bubbled up in 2023-2024, around South Africa’s case against Israel at the world court. Mkhwanazi, who often bragged about US training, supposedly got orders to block probes into threats against royal household members backing Prince Simakade Zulu, Misuzulu’s brother.
The late Nathi Mthethwa, a former police minister who died in September 2025 as ambassador to France, reportedly yanked Mkhwanazi from an acting top cop spot over these CIA fears. Mogotsi talked to Mthethwa in August 2025, and he was ready to testify before passing away – some whisper of poisoning, though probes continue.
Misuzulu’s US stay raised red flags too, with claims he was pulled into the spy web. Mogotsi said this ties into bigger worries, like control over Richards Bay’s Israeli-linked mines, where trade halts could hurt foreign interests.

Commission Phases and What’s Next

The Madlanga Commission, chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, kicked off in September 2025 at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College. Phase one laid out untested claims from Mkhwanazi, the first witness, about rot in the system.
Now in phase two, implicated folks like Mogotsi get their say. His evidence, guided by chief leader Advocate Matthew Chaskalson SC, wrapped up reading his statement on Tuesday. Cross-questions from commissioners and leaders hit on Wednesday, 19 November 2025, starting at 9:30am.
Phase three will see Mkhwanazi and others back to tackle these counters, testing all evidence. Running into 2026, the inquiry aims to clean up political interference and rebuild faith in justice.
These claims spotlight urgent fixes needed in policing. With tenders, bribes, and spy tales swirling, South Africans wait for the full truth to emerge, hoping it leads to real accountability for those abusing power.

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Madlanga Commission Explosive Testimony: Brown Mogotsi Claims Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala Bribed KZN Police Boss Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi Over R360m Tender