The Madlanga Commission has referred KwaZulu-Natal head of the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (the Hawks) Lesetja Senona for further investigation, in an interim report adopted by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Senona this week appeared before the commission probing corruption in the criminal justice system and was questioned about his links to businessman and alleged leader of the Gauteng-based so-called Big 5 cartel Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
On Thursday the presidency said Ramaphosa had accepted the interim report from the commission which recommends investigation and prosecution on several officials including Senona, South African Police Service head of organised crime Richard Shibiri, Sedibeng district commissioner Mbangwa Nkhwashu, Brigadier Rachel Matjeng and Sergeant Fannie Nkosi.
The commission said in its report that there was enough prima facie evidence for an investigation, including on several officials within the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department.
The presidency said Ramaphosa had directed acting police minister Firoz Cachalia and national police commissioner Fannie Masemola to constitute a special investigations task team.
At the Madlanga inquiry this week, Senona denied any involvement in Matlala’s business activities, insisting they were just close friends. He also denied the existence of the Big 5 cartel Matlala allegedly leads, saying the only Big Five he knows are the iconic wild animals.
Towards the end of his testimony, Senona became frustrated by the panel’s questioning of his testimony. His lawyers argued he felt prejudiced and was not provided all the relevant documents.
Panel members questioned Senona about his WhatsApp texts with Matlala, highlighting that the pair shared documents and discussed police matters.
Senona sent Matlala a copy of a letter from suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, the one disbanding a task team investigating political killings. Senior police officials have testified that the task team was disbanded after a search and seizure operation at Matlala’s house.
Firearms belonging to Matlala’s security company were seized during a joint operation by the Gauteng organised crime unit and the KwaZulu-Natal-based task team.
The commission has heard that the raid was briefly interrupted by Pretoria-based Hawks officials. Crime intelligence boss Dumisani Khumalo indicated that there was a “double agent” within the Hawks whose phone number was found in Matlala’s phone.
Senona has been implicated by Khumalo, along with Witness X and Witness C, who alleged that he abused his position by sharing sensitive police information with Matlala. He rejected these claims outright this week, describing them as baseless and malicious.
Sesona acknowledged sharing Mchunu’s disbandment letter with Matlala but said the exchange formed part of their general discussions about breaking news and current affairs.
Soon after the raid, Matlala sent messages suggesting progress on an undisclosed “project”, to which Senona responded positively and indicated he would be travelling to Gauteng.
“The guy I went to see really helped. I will tell you whenever you’re back on this side,” said Matlala.
“Monday, I’m starting with our project. Nothing is disturbing me anymore.”
Senona responded: “That’s great news, my brother. I’m coming back to that side tomorrow.”
Sesona told the commission these messages referred to a third party he had introduced Matlala to for advice on conducting a security risk assessment for his company, Cat VIP Protection.
The security company also garnered attention after its private vehicles were fitted with blue-lights reserved for law enforcement. Ekurhuleni officials testified before the commission of an irregular memorandum of understanding between the municipality and Cat VIP Protection which allowed the company to conduct crime investigations and make arrests.
Senona maintained that his involvement with Matlala was limited to offering general advice on running a private security business, including managing resources, staff absenteeism and client demands and referring Matlala to a security expert. He denied leaking information or any role in Matlala’s business dealings or contracts.
He further denied knowledge of Matlala’s alleged links to the Tembisa Hospital looting scandal, the R355 million police tender awarded to Matlala’s company Medicare24 or the claims made by murdered whistleblower Babita Deokaran.
Senona said he only became aware of Matlala’s alleged criminal history when he appeared in December before a parliament ad hoc committee also looking into police corruption.
Asked how he was not aware of Matlala’s criminal history, Senona told the Madlanga commission that although he works in crime intelligence, he does not conduct background checks on friends unless there is a specific reason to suspect wrongdoing. He argued that doing so without cause would amount to an abuse of state resources.
Senona admitted to sharing the police affidavit of Ishmael Nagy — a notorious kidnapping kingpin — with Matlala and that Matlala sent him sensitive documents about Ramaphosa and Mchunu. But he said while he saw the texts, he did not open the documents.
Senona testified that he first met Matlala at a wedding in Mamelodi, Pretoria, in 2019, after which they exchanged contact details and remained in occasional contact.
Matlala has told parliament’s ad hoc committee that Senona facilitated a meeting between him and KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi regarding a contract dispute. Senona this week denied arranging the meeting, saying he merely accompanied the KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner to it.
Senona also accused Mkhwanazi of intimidation through a series of texts he received from the police boss ahead of his appearance at the Madlanga commission. The text messages suggest the provincial commissioner was concerned that Matlala had misled the ad hoc committee.
In the messages, Mkhwanazi warned that he intended to return to Parliament to correct the record, even if doing so placed Matlala at risk and said he had recordings and other data to corroborate his version of events.
The messages also referred to allegations involving police officials, including claims about money being collected using state vehicles and funds allegedly paid towards the purchase of a farm. Senona initially declined to name the individuals mentioned, citing safety concerns.
“And when you get these types of messages, one gets an insinuating situation that says, ‘Don’t talk about this’,” he told the Madlanga commission, adding that he has since been going through a work redeployment within the Hawks and suspects the move may be linked to his fallout with the provincial commissioner.
On Monday, KwaZulu-Natal deputy commissioner Anthony Gopaul testified at the inquiry that Mchunu — who has denied allegations against him of political interference in police work — would repeatedly contact him seeking case updates overlooking Mkhwanazi.
He said at one point Mchunu requested an update on the murder of Mandeni municipality ward councillor Phendukani Mabhida. Gopaul said it was unusual for a minister to contact him, adding that the investigating team referred Mchunu to Mkhwanazi.
“The investigating officer then messaged me to indicate he will update the provincial commissioner on where they are in the investigation and that if the minister needs any further updates he can contact the provincial commissioner,” Gopaul said.
Gopaul further testified that Mchunu visited a KZN police station while wearing ANC regalia and demanded swift action in cases involving an ANC ward councillor who had defected to Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe party.
Gopaul said Mchunu called for investigations into the cases involving Doshie Govender, including the immediate arrest of his son in connection with a housebreaking case.
“I explained to the minister that whilst we wanted to assist him, the difficulty was that it was unclear in what capacity he approached us,” Gopaul said.
“The minister was of the opinion that the community has a sense of frustration that we are doing nothing about Mr Govender and his son’s behaviour. It was slightly uncomfortable that somebody who had won the previous landslide elections, the entire community was suddenly angry at him.
“From my training and my 35 years of historical institutionalised protocol, it is not in accordance with the law of protocol for me to interact with the minister without the specific direction of my principal,” Gopaul added.
A KwaZulu-Natal police official — identified only as Witness E in the inquiry, also accused Mchunu of seeking to influence his testimony before the commission with a prepared statement.
He said Mchunu sought to redirect attention to former police minister Bheki Cele and crime intelligence’s Khumalo by implicating them in the 2017 murder of ANC councillor Sindiso Magaqa.
“He consistently called me and told me that there is a statement prepared for me to present at the commission,” he said.
Witness E submitted phone records which show Mchunu repeatedly contacted him.
Mchunu has denied the allegations of coercion and any interactions with Witness E.
“I deny the allegations he makes about me, including the interactions in his statements,” Mchunu had said earlier. “I’m aware that I am due to appear again at the commission and I will seek to respond. My lawyers are already dealing with the matter.”
Senona this week admitted to being close friends with businessman and alleged cartel leader Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala but denied any involvement in his business activities
