Witness disclosed confidential SAPS documents to Cat Matlala

Gauteng Organised Crime Unit officer Sergeant Fannie Nkosi testified before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Monday that he shared confidential internal SAPS communications regarding the termination of a R360 million contract awarded to Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala’s Medicare24 company.

Nkosi told the commission that he divulged the information to several individuals, including Matlala and businessman Steve Motsumi.

He testified that by the time he contacted Matlala, Matlala would apparently already be aware of the contract termination, having seen the news on social media.

"I would not say that Mr Matlala heard from me that this thing is not fake. It is real because Mr Matlala had his own people within the SAPS. I think (he) already knew... I was not the bearer of the bad news," Nkosi said.

He said Matlala told him that Brigadier Glenda Bokaba at head office was among the SAPS officials sympathetic to him. He added that Matlala would sometimes come to the office to meet with Bokaba.

Nkosi said Matlala stated in court papers that Bokaba advised him to approach suspended Deputy National Commissioner General Shadrack Sibiya - who was then acting as the national police commissioner - for help with the training facility.

Nkosi, who had received the confidential police message from Sibiya, dismissed it as old news, pointing out that the information was already circulating on social media.

He justified his actions by stating that sharing the information with Matlala was not an advance tip-off, as Matlala might have already known about the impending cancellation of his company's SAPS contracts.

Asked why he did not see anything wrong with sharing a SAPS document marked confidential, he said: "To be honest with you commissioner, I did not see the danger of it or the problem about it because I thought it was already public."

Under questioning from co-commissioner Advocate Sandile Khumalo SC, he admitted uncertainty about the appropriateness of sharing the information with outsiders, stating he was not sure if his actions were right or wrong.

Nkosi explained that he shared the confidential police information with Motsumi simply to keep him informed about developments regarding Matlala's contract.

He claimed Matlala owed Motsumi money, adding that he warned him his money might not return because the company where he invested was about to lose its contract.

Nkosi revealed he knew about Matlala's debt to Motsumi because Motsumi had mentioned it during a biking conversation. 

He said he was advancing Motsumi's interests because he stood to lose if the contract was terminated.

He stated that Matlala had been seeking the suspended head of the SAPS Organised Crime Unit, Major-General Richard Sibiri's help regarding the contract termination, prompting Nkosi to share the information with him.

Co-commissioner, Advocate Sesi Baloyi, suggested that Nkosi shared the information with Shibiri knowing it would capture his attention, given the earlier revelation that Matlala had lent Shibiri R70,000.

Nkosi said: "With General Shibiri I share everything I come across, whether it is relevant to him or not. Sometimes he would not even comment or say anything about it."

During his testimony last week Shibiri testified he borrowed R70 000 from Matlala to repair his son's vehicle. 

However, it emerged during his testimony that he in fact never needed to borrow money from Matlala given that he and his son collectively had over R105 000.

Bank records showed he spent nearly R20 000 at Gucci and Louis Vuitton after receiving the funds.

Cape Times