Quick Read
- Police Minister Senzo Mchunu denied Witness E’s allegations of coercing him to lie at the Madlanga Commission.
- KZN Hawks head Lesetja Senona was grilled over his relationship with alleged crime boss Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
- Senona denied arranging a meeting over a R360-million SAPS tender but admitted accompanying Matlala to another meeting.
- The commission questioned Senona’s claim of distancing himself from Matlala, citing a News24 article sent by Senona and subsequent meetings.
- The Madlanga Commission is probing criminal infiltration, political interference, and corruption within South Africa’s justice system.
PRETORIA (Azat TV) – The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry saw dramatic developments on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, as Police Minister Senzo Mchunu vehemently denied allegations that he coerced a witness to lie during the ongoing inquiry. Simultaneously, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Hawks head Lesetja Senona faced intense scrutiny over his alleged questionable relationship with Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, an alleged crime boss and tender don, as the commission continues its critical examination of criminal infiltration and corruption within South Africa’s criminal justice system.
Minister Mchunu, whose decision to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) is under investigation by the commission, addressed claims made by Witness E. The witness alleged that Mchunu had asked him to submit a false statement and to implicate high-ranking officials, including crime intelligence head Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo and former police minister Bheki Cele, in the 2017 assassination of former ANC youth league secretary Sindiso Magaqa. Mchunu denied these allegations, stating through his legal representatives that he would provide a full response when he next appears before the commission, according to The Herald.
Hawks Head Grilled Over ‘Cat’ Matlala Ties
The spotlight, however, remained heavily on KZN Hawks head Lesetja Senona, who continued his testimony and was grilled by evidence leader Adila Hassim and the commissioners about his association with Matlala. Matlala is linked to a controversial R360-million South African Police Service (SAPS) tender and was reportedly being investigated by the very PKTT that Mchunu disbanded.
Senona denied arranging a meeting between Matlala and KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi regarding the tender. While he admitted accompanying Matlala to a meeting, he maintained that it was facilitated by then-police minister Bheki Cele and that he was unaware Matlala was a criminal. Senona attempted to convince the commission that he had begun gradually distancing himself from Matlala after learning of his involvement in organized criminal activities and probes by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Hawks concerning the multi-billion-rand Tembisa Hospital scandal, as reported by EWN.
However, commissioners expressed skepticism over Senona’s claims. Evidence presented showed that Senona had sent Matlala a News24 article on March 5, 2025, detailing Matlala’s proximity to the Tembisa Hospital extraction syndicate, which was exposed by slain whistleblower Babita Deokaran. Yet, just a month later, Senona accompanied Matlala to a meeting with Commissioner Mkhwanazi. When probed by Hassim, Senona denied assisting Matlala, stating, “He asked me to accompany him and accompanying someone does not mean you are assisting them.”
PKTT Disbandment and Information Sharing Questioned
Further complicating Senona’s testimony were allegations that Matlala was among the first individuals informed about Minister Mchunu’s decision to suspend the Political Killings Task Team in December 2024. Senona denied giving sensitive police information to Matlala, arguing that the information regarding the PKTT disbandment letter was already in the public domain. He also claimed he was unaware that Matlala was a subject of investigation by the PKTT or any other unit, according to Witness.co.za.
Commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga questioned the relevance of sharing such information, even if it were public, given Matlala’s alleged criminal ties. Senona also faced questions regarding his alleged role in assisting Matlala in securing the controversial R360 million Medicare24 tender with SAPS, which he denied, along with any knowledge of the “broader allegations of criminality surrounding the tender.”
Parliamentary Oversight and Commission’s Mandate
Separately, at Parliament, the Ad Hoc Committee continued to hear oral submissions from civil society organizations regarding Minister Mchunu’s decision to disband the PKTT. David Bruce from the Institute for Security Studies stated that while the minister did not violate any legal provisions in his decision, mandatory consultation for decisions of such magnitude should be recommended. This parallel inquiry underscores the gravity of the issues being addressed by the Madlanga Commission, which is tasked with uncovering allegations of criminal infiltration, political interference, and corruption within the criminal justice system.
The testimonies at the Madlanga Commission highlight significant challenges to public trust and accountability within South Africa’s law enforcement agencies. The discrepancies and denials from high-ranking officials, particularly concerning their associations with alleged crime figures and the handling of sensitive investigations, underscore the urgent need for transparency and robust oversight to restore integrity to the criminal justice system.