‘I’m dead’: Mkhwanazi runs into headwinds in testimony about relationship with Matlala

Suspended Ekurhuleni metro police department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi has disputed the meaning of his own letter, which confirmed a working relationship with businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s security company he concluded without prior approval from his bosses.

Mkhwanazi appeared before the Madlanga inquiry into allegations of criminal infiltration and corruption in the justice cluster on Wednesday and answered questions about his relationship Matlala.

He denied that the relationship with Matlala’s security company was ever formalised and said it was only a proposed working relationship.

This was contrary to his letter to EMPD chief Isaac Mapiyeye in which he confirmed a working relationship with Matlala’s security company when he was asked to explain his implication in the accusation that he authorised the fitting of blue lights to vehicles belonging to Matlala.

“I would like to confirm a working relationship with Cat security services and its subsidiaries, Medicare24 medical services,” Mkhwanazi’s letter read. “We are also involved in crime combating operations with Cat security services, together with other security services that are committed to crime fighting in the city. Cat security is assisting EMPD by providing additional technology.”

The letter referred to the security company providing tracking and monitoring suspects and provided other “resources” to EMPD.

It was not yet implemented. We were promised that they would assist us in terms of tracking and tracing wanted suspects.

—  Julius Mkhwanazi, suspended EMPD deputy chief

When quizzed by commissioner Sandile Khumalo about the letter’s reference to additional technology and crime operations, Mkhwanazi backtracked and said the letter, written February 2023, meant to express the intent to work with the security company in the future.

“It was not yet implemented. We were promised that they would assist us in terms of tracking and tracing wanted suspects,” Mkhwanazi said.

Pressed about the tense of the letter suggesting that the assistance was provided from 2021, Mkhwanazi said “maybe it is my English” adding that he meant in the future.

“You were asked to explain the EMPD’s relationship with Cat security services in 2023 which means in this document you were describing a relationship that already existed. You were not talking about things that would happen in the future,” Khumalo said.

Though Mkhwanazi said there was no written document formalising a relationship with EMPD and Cat Services, Khumalo said it was concerning that the security company was conducting crime-fighting operations.

Mkhwanazi responded: “We had not yet worked with them. The letter was supposed to say we are intending in the future. He [Matlala’s company] never did those things with us.”

Mkhwanazi told the commission a memorandum which reflected his name suggesting he approved an “endless” relationship with EMPD highlighting seven vehicles belonging to Matlala to be used in provision of VIP Protection, was false.

He, however, accepted that four of the vehicles were later offered to be donated to the metro. He said he supported a proposal from Matlala’s companies to assist officers with medical services and in exchange the metro would fit blue and red lights to private companies’ vehicles.

Mkhwanazi said the process was never undertaken because his seniors did not approve the proposal. He said, reflecting back on the proposal, it was not legally sound.

When Mkhwanazi was taken through different evidence and questioned about the relationship, at some point he remarked “I am dead now” as he struggled to answer some questions.

Mkhwanazi has told the Madlanga commission he asked Matlala to donate his old fleet to the municipality to assist the department, but the process was “never” finalised.

“We never received the cars physically,” he said. “I did not install blue lights; I did not see the cars; they did not come to the city.”