KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi Drops More Files on Senzo Mchunu

In a gripping testimony at a commission of inquiry, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has laid out a series of explosive claims, alleging that an associate of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu obtained information from a police station's occurrence book and that a high-profile Member of Parliament (MP) was using classified intelligence information.¹ These revelations were presented by Mkhwanazi as evidence of a web of influence that he believes ultimately led to the decision to disband the political killings task team.

Mkhwanazi took the stand on day two of the commission, which is probing allegations of political interference and corruption within the criminal justice system.² His testimony focused on the actions of three individuals he claims interfered with and influenced the police minister.

The Minister's 'Associate' and the Leaked Docket

Mkhwanazi's first allegation involved a man named Brown Mogotsi, whom he identified as an associate of Police Minister Mchunu.³ The commissioner explained that his suspicion was first raised when Mogotsi's communication with him suggested a close relationship with the minister.

“I had previously said that there is a gentleman, Brown Mogotsi, who is the associate of minister of police Mchunu, simply because when I received information from Mogotsi with the information that we will speak about later on in the statement, it made me ask the question because the person communicating with me seems to suggest that he is close to the minister," Mkhwanazi testified.

To confirm his suspicions, Mkhwanazi said he called Cedrick Nkabinde, the minister’s chief of staff, who confirmed Mogotsi was indeed a close associate. “First I called [Cedrick] Nkabinde, the chief of staff in the minister’s office, and he confirmed that this person [Mogotsi] is a close associate of the minister and that is when I got comfortable speaking with him,” Mkhwanazi stated.

The commissioner's testimony detailed that the communication from Mogotsi began on 30 September 2024, where he "in his own writing" warned Mkhwanazi of attempts to discredit him. Mogotsi allegedly claimed a case of defeating the ends of justice was being prepared against the commissioner in relation to an incident at Empangeni correctional services.

As proof of his claims, Mogotsi sent Mkhwanazi a copy of a screenshot from the occurrence book at the Empangeni SAPS, a police station located just five kilometres from the minister's home. Mogotsi also allegedly sent a draft letter that contained similar content to a KZN factual report, including the name of an officer who had attended to the incident.

Mkhwanazi used this information to draw a direct link. “Empangeni is a police station that is serving the minister of police’s [jurisdiction] that is literally 5km away from the minister’s house, and I am already told that he [Mogotsi] is close to the minister.⁴ That is why I am linking him to this."

Mchunu has reportedly denied having a close tie with Mogotsi, instead referring to him as "just a comrade."

Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala's R360m Contract

In a separate, but equally serious, allegation, Mkhwanazi testified that attempted murder-accused businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala had communicated with a North West businessman, Suleiman Kareem, about a contract with the South African Police Service (SAPS).

“There is a communication between ‘Cat’ Matlala and North West businessman Suleiman Kareem. Their communication involves the contract that Matlala had with SAPS,” Mkhwanazi said. The commissioner said the contract was valued at R360 million and that Matlala was engaging with Kareem to speak to the minister to stop its cancellation.

Mkhwanazi’s purpose in presenting this evidence was to highlight the role of Kareem. "The intention here is to show that there is this man [Kareem], the coordinator between Matlala and the minister and [who] is under investigation, that’s why I am not going to go deeper.”

MP Accused of Abusing Classified Intelligence

Mkhwanazi also detailed what he called a "reckless" use of intelligence information by MP and National Coloured Congress founder, Fadiel Adams.⁵ The commissioner raised two primary concerns with Adams's actions: his unauthorised access to classified intelligence information and his subsequent abuse of it.

"The main concerns with Adams are mainly two. The first is the unauthorised access to intelligence information and his reckless use thereof. The second is the abuse thereof. This classified information involves personal information of individuals that is deposited at the crime intelligence or extracted by crime intelligence when it is conducting a vetting process for security clearance for individuals. It is very sensitive information," Mkhwanazi explained.

The commissioner testified that Adams not only handled this sensitive information within Parliament but also released it to the public. He pointed to a series of events in October, when Adams filed a complaint of non-compliance against crime intelligence officers at two different police stations in Gauteng and the Western Cape.

Mkhwanazi found the timeline of events deeply suspicious. The day after filing the complaints, Adams sent an email to the minister. When the national commissioner requested an additional 10 days to respond, Adams sent another email to the minister just two days later on a different topic, but he spoke about the national commissioner's report.

Mkhwanazi questioned how Adams could have been privy to the report, which was directed to the minister, without having engaged with the minister himself. “So, I wonder how he is privy to the national commissioner’s report that is directed to the minister,” Mkhwanazi concluded.