‘The cat got his tongue’: Mkhwanazi’s confusing, sweaty show at Madlanga Inquiry

Suspended EMPD acting chief Julius Mkhwanazi appeared visibly rattled at the Madlanga Commission on Wednesday, nervously sipping water, wiping sweat from his face and stumbling through explanations as he tried to distance himself from the blue-light scandal linked to Vusimuzi “CAT” Matlala.

What was expected to be a clarifying testimony instead became a confusing, stop-start performance.

Commissioners and evidence leaders struggled to follow his shifting answers, with Mkhwanazi often pausing for long stretches before responding, at times appearing unsure of his own statements.

More than once, it looked as though “the cat had caught his tongue.”

Despite the pressure and visible discomfort, Mkhwanazi maintained one central claim: he never authorised blue lights or municipal registrations for Matlala’s controversial VIP vehicles.

He insisted he had never seen the cars and had no role in any official paperwork that presented them as city assets.

Yet his testimony was undercut by his own admissions.

He conceded he had worked closely with Matlala, introducing him to senior officials and placing his company, CAT VIP Security, inside the security plan for the 2022 State of the City Address (SOCA).

“I was told CAT VIP members were ex–special task force and highly skilled,” he said, adding that the company had offered its services “for free” as part of what he believed was “a marketing strategy.”

He insisted this was standard practice but struggled to explain why a private company was granted such a prominent operational role.

His frustration peaked when he accused retired deputy chief Revo Spies of submitting a forged operational plan to the commission.

Mkhwanazi claimed his version, which he promised to hand in, would prove his innocence.

But his explanation of how the document was allegedly forged was muddled and difficult to follow, leaving commissioners visibly unconvinced.

Throughout the session, Mkhwanazi’s answers veered between denial, partial acknowledgment and vague recollections.

At times he contradicted earlier testimony presented to the commission and even contradicted himself.

The more he attempted to clarify, the more tangled his version became.

The commission is probing allegations that Mkhwanazi quietly enabled Matlala’s companies to operate as pseudo-police units, complete with blue lights, sirens and privileged municipal access — all without proper authorisation.

Several witnesses have already testified that the partnership was irregular and deliberately concealed.

Mkhwanazi is expected to continue his testimony on Thursday.

kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za

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