Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala and the ‘unlawful deal’ with Ekurhuleni metro cops

The inquiries into the alleged capture of the police have previously heard that the attempted-murder accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s vehicles were fitted with blue lights from the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD), but his links with the municipality apparently go far deeper.

On Thursday, 6 November, suspended Ekurhuleni metro police chief Jabulani Isaac Mapiyeye told the Madlanga Commission that a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the metro police department and Matlala’s company, CAT VIP Protection Services, was unlawful.

Mapiyeye said the agreement unlawfully gave the private company access to surveillance technology to monitor suspects, track criminal movements and assist officers in pursuing and arresting highly trained repeat offenders known to fight back when cornered.

“Our members don’t have the power to investigate. The activities that the document suggests CAT VIP Protection Services has undertaken with EMPD are illegal activities in the sense [that] they do not have the legislative powers.”

Mapiyeye was placed on precautionary suspension in September 2024 over allegations of sexual misconduct.

Read more: Witness C details ‘Cat’ Matlala’s claims to have bribed minister, top cops

The MOU was allegedly signed by suspended Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi, accused of supplying EMPD blue lights to Matlala, which were later fitted to Matlala’s private vehicles in 2023.

“The MOU is fraudulent. Brigadier Mkhwanazi did not have the requisite authority to conclude any MOU on behalf of the city. The person to approve it is the accounting officer, who is the city manager,” he said.

Matlala’s police links

The gist of Mapiyeye’s testimony before the commission centred on claims that Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi assisted Matlala in illegally registering private vehicles under the municipality and equipping them with police blue lights.

Mapiyeye’s evidence was led by advocate Mahlapi Sello SC.

In September, on the second day of the Madlanga Commission, KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said that Matlala was “enjoying too much privilege from law enforcement”.

He said people from within the EMPD fitted his vehicles with blue emergency lights, even though these were strictly meant for law enforcement.

Read more: Mkhwanazi alleges SA’s new capture — malicious corruption-busters and classified intelligence leaks

In 2024, Matlala, through another of his companies, was awarded a R360-million policing contract that has since been terminated.

As for Matlala’s CAT VIP Protection Services company, Daily Maverick established that it was also listed among businesses that bid “to render 24-hour security guarding services for the National Treasury buildings and close protection services for 36 months”. Based on a list of awarded tenders on the National Treasury website, the guarding contract went to another company.

Unlawful agreements ‘not on database’

Mapiyeye told the commission that the so-called memoranda of understanding the EMPD entered into with CAT VIP Protection Services and Medicare24 – Matlala’s company that won the R360-million SAPS tender – did not appear on the Ekurhuleni Municipality’s database.

According to his testimony, the working relationship with CAT VIP Protection Services and Medicare24 began in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Medicare24 was enlisted to assist EMPD officers with free health testing.

Mapiyeye’s testimony elaborated on the EMPD’s alleged collaboration with CAT VIP Protection Services, along with other private security firms involved in crime-fighting operations across the city.

The commission was told that in his report, Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi wrote: “I hope and believe the Chief [Mapiyeye] will understand the initiative taken by his subordinates in driving private partnerships to fight crime in the city and strengthen our internal skills.”

In response, Mapiyeye said: “I don’t appreciate that initiative because as metro police, we got a standardised training which the standards prescribed by the national police commissioner show how police need to be trained in all aspects of the law enforcement fraternity, including metro police. We are duty-bound to align ourselves with the directives of the national police commissioner.”

An extract from Mapiyeye’s statement submitted to the commission reads: “I submit that the activities described are highly irregular and, in some instances, certainly unlawful. As I indicated, the functions and powers of EMPD members are strictly limited and could never include the actions outlined in the report.”

Unsigned CAT VIP Letter 

An unsigned letter, dated 15 June 2022 and titled “CAT VIP Intention to Commit”, was presented to the Commission. In it, Matlala claimed that CAT VIP Protection Services had signed an MOU with the EMPD aimed at enhancing crime prevention, community safety, VIP protection and tactical training.

The letter further stated that, to achieve these objectives, the company intended to donate four vehicles to the EMPD and make available a helicopter for up to two flight hours per month to provide aerial support during operations.

When asked what value he would attach to such access, Mapiyeye responded: “These are neither the resources nor the standard processes in the police fraternity, because with such support, you can curb crime in a very short space of time. We cannot just accept donations without following the right process.”

Ipid probe into MOU

Following these alleged irregularities, Mapiyeye deposed an affidavit in 2023 as part of an Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) probe. 

In the affidavit, he stated clearly that the memorandum relating to seven vehicles was fraudulent. The affidavit forms part of Ipid’s ongoing investigation into the EMPD “blue light saga”.

According to evidence before the commission, the affidavit’s core purpose was to disown and invalidate the MOU that purported to donate vehicles to the EMPD from CAT VIP Protection Services, a document allegedly signed by suspended Brigadier Mkhwanazi.

Ipid has since recommended disciplinary action against the brigadier. The matter has also been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for a decision.

“No disciplinary steps were taken. What I know is that the process to start disciplinary proceedings was initiated through my department. Internal Affairs conducted the preliminary investigation, while Ipid opened its own docket.

“Ipid is still awaiting the EMPD’s report on whether disciplinary proceedings were instituted and their outcome, in order to comply with Section 13 of the Ipid Act,” Mapiyeye told the commission.

Unfortunately, he said, that report was never filed due to alleged interference from several senior EMPD officials, including the city manager, the head of human resources and the head of legal and corporate services. DM