‘Cat’ Matlala says Idac officials told him they were after Masemola, Mkhwanazi, and Khumalo

Matlala alleged that Idac officials told him his arrest was intended to help them get to the people they were really after. Tenderpreneur Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala has accused the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac) investigators, [Brian] Padayachee and [Dylan] Perumal, of drafting his Section 204 statement. On Monday, Matlala publicly testified at the Madlanga commission after chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga ruled that his statement would be used for his testimony. However, before testifying, Matlala warned the commission that he might not be able to explain some matters in his statement, as he did not draft it himself. “I think the evidence leaders are aware of it because they are the ones who subpoenaed…I was in Kokstad in Ebongweni. They are the ones who asked me to come and make a consultation,” he said. Idac officials target three generals Although he could not recall the dates of the meetings, Matlala said he met with Idac officials when he was transferred from Ebongweni in Kokstad to the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Facility, which he refers to as C-Max, for Madlanga commission consultations. “They came and they said they’re the ones who requisitioned me. But when I left Kokstad, I asked the head of prison that side, what is my reason for transfer? He said it’s because of the Madlanga consultation. But when I got this side, they said, ‘No, we are the ones’. I don’t know how they found out that I have been transferred back,” explained Matlala. “They served me with a warrant of arrest. And then they said, ‘Listen, we need to speak tomorrow morning’. So the following morning, when they fetched me [from prison] to court, they told me on my way to court, ‘Listen, we’re not actually after you. But we need to arrest you so you can get to the people we want to pursue. I asked them who are those people? They mentioned General [Fannie] Masemola, General [Nhlanhla] Mkhwanazi, General [Dumisani] Khumalo.” Following his court appearance, he had a consultation with Madlanga commission evidence leaders and he was transferred back to Ebongweni. He alleged Idac officials booked him out of Ebongweni and took him to Sheraton Hotel instead of C-Max. “I only remember the guy who was driving as Padayachee.” They told him he was going there to “discuss some things” with their “chief”. “So when he got into the car, it was Perumal.” Any information? Matlala told the commission that it was around 2am when they drove him to the McDonald’s next to C-Max. “Then they said, ‘Listen, is there anything that you can give me for these three generals? I said, ‘No, I don’t know. I don’t have any information about them’. They said, ‘No, man, we know that you’re very close with [former KZN Hawks head] General [Lesetja] Senona. Call him and ask him if he can give you any information. “So when he gave me the phone, he said, ‘Use WhatsApp’. I deliberately used a straight call so that, at some point, whatever I’m saying now can be corroborated. I spoke with General Senona, but it was in the AMs, and then he didn’t even trust that it was me on the phone. And then he said, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about’. They took me back to C-Max.” He said the following weekend, the Idac investigators booked him out of C-Max again without the knowledge of his attorneys and took him to their offices. “I want you to know that some of the things which are there are not from myself. So I cannot answer things to which I did not depose a statement to. “I have proof of that because I asked one of my assistants, the junior from my lawyer’s office, to listen, because when I was giving the statement, Perumal himself was the one who was typing the statement. He typed whatever suited him.” Spotlight on Idac Matlala’s testimony corroborates former Idac head Andrea Johnson’s version in July. During her testimony, she struggled to explain Idac’s investigations into the political killings task team (PKTT) members and Crime Intelligence officials. The investigations led to the arrest of Khumalo and Masemola. However, cases against them have since been withdrawn. Johnson said Padayachee and Perumal led the investigations. “I’m unfortunately unable to answer because I’m not aware of a political motive. But I cannot shy away from [the possibility] there might have been a hidden hand in how this played itself out and what was given to me and how it was given to me. I don’t have an explanation for you,” she said.