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Mchunu Denies Links to Murder-Accused Businessman Amidst Tender Controversy
CAPE TOWN – Embattled Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, currently on special leave, has vehemently denied any association with controversial businessman Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala, who stands accused of murder. In a detailed witness statement compiled for parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating allegations of corruption within the South African Police Service (SAPS), Mchunu insists he has "never met Matlala in his life," nor has he ever received any money from him, either directly or indirectly.
Mchunu is expected to appear before the ad hoc committee tomorrow to address these allegations directly, which stem from testimony given by KwaZulu-Natal's top police officer, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
The statement, seen by Sunday World, also addresses Mchunu's relationship with ANC figure Brown Mogotsi. Mchunu acknowledges interactions with Mogotsi but insists they have been limited to "various matters relating to the ANC". This directly contradicts Mkhwanazi’s claims that Mogotsi facilitated meetings between Mchunu and Matlala during the ANC’s January 8 celebrations in Cape Town.
Mchunu firmly denies these claims, stating that he was unaware of any interactions between Mogotsi and Matlala and had neither endorsed nor sanctioned them. "Did Matlala pay for ‘my associates’ or guests at the January 8 celebrations? First and foremost, I deny that I ever solicited, directly or indirectly, any financial assistance from Mr Matlala. I never received any gratification in cash or kind from Mr Matlala during the period in question, namely 8 to 13 January 2025," Mchunu said in his statement.
The core of the allegations revolves around a R360-million tender awarded to Matlala, a contract that has since become a focal point of the parliamentary inquiry. Mchunu claims he only became aware of the controversial tender through a News24 article titled “Silenced: Police award R360m contract to Tembisa hospital tender don”, published on 20 December 2024.
Upon reading the report, Mchunu says he immediately inquired about the contract with the National Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Fannie Masemola. He states that Masemola assured him the tender had been properly awarded. However, just days later, at a 24 December 2024 departmental briefing, internal auditors informed him that the tender was, in fact, irregular. Acting swiftly, Mchunu says he then ordered its immediate cancellation.
"On 13 May 2025, Mr Vusimusi ‘Cat’ Matlala’s R360 million contract was cancelled," Mchunu confirmed in his statement.
Mchunu further emphasised that his earlier directive on 31 December 2024 to disband the political killings task team was entirely unrelated to the tender cancellation. "To suggest otherwise is both preposterous and an outrageous lie," he asserted.
To further bolster his defence, Mchunu addressed claims that he benefited from Matlala’s alleged "largesse," referencing WhatsApp messages reportedly read out by Crime Intelligence head General Dumisani Khumalo. According to Mchunu, these messages purportedly show Matlala complaining to Mogotsi about Mchunu’s intentions to cancel the contract. "How can the very person said to have benefited from Matlala’s generosity be the one to cancel his irregularly awarded contract?" Mchunu questioned, highlighting what he sees as a fundamental inconsistency in the accusations against him.
The Police Minister also addressed allegations regarding a trip to Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape with Mogotsi. While it was suggested that Mogotsi accompanied him, Mchunu stated: "When I attended Lusikisiki on 1 October 2024, my movements were, in any event, in the public domain. There is nothing to be made of the suggestion that Mr Mogotsi knew where I was on the day."
Mchunu's account of the Lusikisiki visit was corroborated by suspended Deputy Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, who testified before Parliament’s ad-hoc committee on Tuesday. "I was running operations in Lusikisiki and was in the presence of the minister. He came there with the national commissioner, deputy ministers, and a whole entourage to get an update on the killings that happened in Lusikisiki," Sibiya confirmed, lending weight to Mchunu's version of events.
With Mchunu's appearance before the ad hoc committee looming, the stakes are high. The committee's investigation into corruption within the SAPS has already unearthed a series of troubling allegations, and Mchunu's testimony will be crucial in determining the extent of his involvement, if any, in the alleged wrongdoing. The nation awaits the outcome with bated breath as the saga continues to unfold.
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