Metro police chief tells MPs of brotherly relations with accused tenderpreneur 'Cat' Matlala

SUSPENDED Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi has confirmed inviting alleged underworld kingpin and attempted murder accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala to a planning meeting for the State of the City Address and was introducing him to the mayor’s team.

Mkhwanazi told the Ad Hoc Committee on Thursday that his relationship with Matlala began in 2021. 

He first became aware of Matlala after EMPD intervention unit members informed him they had been training at a private shooting range alongside officers employed by Matlala's security company.

Mkhwanazi said his colleagues had informed him about the former SAPS and military task force members who were working for Cat VIP Private Security owned by Matlala and director of private clinic, Medicare24.

“I did not know him at that time,” he said.

However, Mkhwanazi recalled seeing photos of directors at the offices of Medicare24.

He told the Ad Hoc Committee that the owner of Medicare24 Mike van Wyk had confirmed to him that Matlala owned the security company that was dealing with VIP protection.

Mkhwanazi said he had asked owner of Medicare24 Mike van Wyk  to set up a meeting with Matlala to assist with security of the State of the City Address.

He also said Matlala had asked at the scheduled meeting whether he would be paid but he agreed to assist when he was told there would be no payment.

Their second meeting was at Matlala’s security company offices in Tshwane, which he described as being well-organised.

Mkhwanazi said they had exchanged cellphone numbers and he invited Matlala to a planning meeting for the State of the City Address.

Matlala personally came to the meeting but did not attend the following meeting when he sent someone else.

“He committed to assist in terms of security. Deployment was our responsibility.”

Mkhwanazi confirmed that after the State of the City Address he and Matlala developed closeness and a brotherly relationship.

“We started to discuss other issues, personal things and all other things. After the City Address it was no longer about the issue of work,” he said.

He indicated that at the time he had been mourning the loss of close family members.

“I lost my siblings. That was around mid-2022.”

Mkhwanazi told the Ad Hoc Committee Matlala had sought clarity on the mandate of the municipality clinics and province, and asked about the privatisation of the metro’s VIP protection.

Asked by evidence leader Advocate Bongiwe Mkhize about how he managed the potential conflict of interest when he was discussing business and the mandate on clinics, Mkhwanazi said: “There was no potential conflict of interest.”

He said EMPD was a public institution and information Matlala wanted could be obtained by any member of the public.

“It is public knowledge that the mandate of clinics belongs to province.”

Cape Times