Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala to be called to testify at Parliament's Mkhwanazi inquiry

The Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations of corruption within the criminal justice system will call Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala to testify, as it is poised to request an extension of its mandate beyond the looming November 28 deadline. 

During a briefing on Wednesday night, the committee discussed the witnesses scheduled to give evidence, saying it has yet to consider public submissions.

Advocate Norman Arendse, SC, said Matlala is one of the significant figures to be called to testify.

“He is proposed to be called but he is either unavailable or further dates for evidence are not available. We will have to subpoena him to come give evidence,” Arendse said.

Matlala, now detained at the Kgosi Mampuru Maximum Security Prison as he awaits trial for conspiring to commit murder, was implicated in the testimonies given by Kwazulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and former Police Minister Bheki Cele.

When MPs enquired about the process to get Matlala to give evidence, Committee chairperson Soviet Lekganyane said the overriding principle was that he would be at the inquiry.

Lekganyane said the Department of Correctional Services, as the authority playing custodianship over Matlala, will make arrangements to bring him to the inquiry.

He said the department must make security arrangements “so that when a person is here, he must not escape in our presence”.

Lekganyane said that when the evidence leaders are ready to schedule consultations with Matlala, the department will indicate whether it may not be possible to bring him to Cape Town or if they should visit him in prison.

“They can make a decision on how they are going to bring him here, or whatever venue is possible for us to have an engagement with him,” he added.

The Ad Hoc committee has taken a standing resolution to summon suspended Inspector-General Imtiaz Fazel.

Arendse informed the committee that Fazel was an important witness on their list.

The committee heard from Arendse that he had received a call from Fazel’s legal representative before the meeting.

“She told me that he is not refusing to testify but because he is under suspension, he does not feel he should. I hold a different view, that for the reason (that) he is under suspension, he should.”

Fazel is set to give evidence on November 21 in terms of the schedule of witnesses.

“I am sure there is no longer a need to issue summons, but he will appear voluntarily,” Arendse said afterwards.

Lekganyane said Arendse had previously reported that Fazel had first indicated that he was waiting for guidance from the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence, then he said he did not want to attend as he had been suspended.

“There was no consistency with regard to the answers that he was given to the legal team.”

He also said Fazel cannot use the excuse of being suspended as a reason for why he could not appear before the committee.

“The report that we got today is that he voluntarily wants to appear before the legal team for consultations. In the event the legal team reports back to us that he is not cooperating, he must be subpoenaed,” said Lekganyane.

Meanwhile, the committee decided to wrote to National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza to notify her of the work to date, as well as the outstanding work.

Apart from scheduling other witnesses, the committee has yet to consider the 286 written submission from members of the public.

The committee was initially given three months to undertake its work until October 31, but this was extended to the end of this month.

Lekganyane said it is possible that they will not complete their work by November 28, especially with over 250 public submissions still to be considered.

He said a report will be compiled on the work that has been done to date and a motivation on why the committee will not finish by the end of November.

“We will prepare that report and motivate - there is still an important work that must be done,” Lekganyane said. 

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za