Crime intelligence boss Dumisani Khumalo has revealed WhatsApp messages to prove the criminal justice system has been infiltrated by organised crimes and cartels.
During his testimony at the Madlanga commission of inquiry on Monday, Khumalo provided details into an organised crime syndicate called the “Big Five”, whose five members he said included Katiso “KT” Molefe and Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
He alleged they are involved in crimes such as drug trafficking, hijackings, tender fraud and contract killings, saying they have infiltrated the political sphere and the SAPS.
Khumalo said he had obtained the WhatsApp messages from Matlala’s phone when he was arrested and that they disclose direct communication and association between Matlala and several SAPS officials in connection with police minister Senzo Mchunu.
The WhatsApp chats are between Matlala and five people:
- Brown Mogotsi
- Head of DPCI in KwaZulu-Natal Maj-Gen Lesetja Sesona and his son Thato
- Acting chief of police in Ekhuruleni Julius Mkhwanazi
- Academic commentator Calvin Rafadi (linked to high-ranking SAPS officials).
- Businessman Suliman Karim (linked to high-ranking SAPS officials).
“What the chats demonstrate at the very least is that organised crime has managed to infiltrate the SAPS and EMPD at the highest level,” Khumalo said.
He explained what was entailed in those WhatsApp chats.
Screenshot one: “Matlala or one of his employees makes payment to Mokgotsi for expenses related to ANC events for benefit of delegates of such events who are apparently linked to Mchunu through the chief of staff Nkabinde in the office of the minister.”
Screnshot two: “In return, Mogotsi uses his influence to manipulate SAPS processes so as to frustrated criminal investigations into Matlala.”
Screenshot three: “[Mogotsi] leaks highly confidential information of SAPS to Matlala. Also co-ordinates payments from SAPS to the Medicare24 Tshwane District company owned by Matlala which unlawfully procured a contract from SAPS worth R360m.”
Screenshot four: “Unsuccessful attempt to prevent SAPS from cancelling its contract with Medicare24 Tshwane District. In pursuit of these goals, Mogotsi in a mistaken belief that an investigation into Matlala was conducted by the PKTT (political killings task team). It was actually conducted by the Gauteng counterintelligence operations.
“Mogotsi has pursued the disestablishment of the PKTT, a mistaken identity. He has specifically sought to find means of having me subjected to a criminal and or disciplinary proceedings, including a somewhat comical attempt to rely on a December 2024 Constitutional Court judgment to have me disciplined for the conduct of a different Brig Khumalo who was involved in that case. Mogotsi purports to have been operating in this regard with the support of the police minister and chief of staff in the minister’s office Nkabinde and deputy national commissioner Gen Shadrack Sibiya,” Khumalo said.
Screenshot five: “Senona pursues similar objectives with Mogotsi and leaks confidential SAPS documents to Matlala. Senona’s association with Matlala appears to be linked to a commercial venture between Matlala and Thato Senona, his son.
“Karim and Rafadi appear to be paid by Matlala for their access to senior SAPS members and their ability to advance same goals as those pursued by Mogotsi and leak sensitive SAPS documents to Matlala. Matlala has a relationship with Mkhwanazi which involves the abuse of EMPD for the benefit of Matlala,” Khumalo said.
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