Brown Mogotsi, an associate of suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu, tried many times to call Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala on Sunday July 6, the day KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi made explosive allegations in a televised media briefing about corruption in the police and the criminal justice system.
This was revealed on Tuesday in the Alexandra magistrate’s court when prosecutor Elize le Roux said a cellphone confiscated from Matlala’s prison cell revealed that Mogotsi had been desperately trying to get hold of him on the day. Mkhwanazi’s allegations led to President Cyril Ramaphosa placing Mchunu on a leave of absence later that month.
The download report is significant because it contains screenshots dated July 6 2025 — the day Gen Mkhwanazi delivered his explosive press briefing about corruption within the senior ranks of the SAPS
— Elize Le Roux, prosecutor
Le Roux said Matlala’s cellphone was confiscated after it was found that his possession of it was illegal.
According to two affidavits from officials at the correctional services department, Matlala attempted to conceal the phone by throwing it into a toilet when he was confronted, but officials were able to retrieve it, said Le Roux.
“A member of the investigation team took possession of the phone and ensured it was submitted for data extraction on the same day,” she said.
“The download report is significant because it contains screenshots dated July 6 2025 — the day Gen Mkhwanazi delivered his explosive press briefing about corruption within the senior ranks of the SAPS. What is telling is that the applicant was, in fact, watching this press conference on the confiscated phone.”
Matlala was in court for a bail application stemming from charges of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and money laundering — all linked to his ex-girlfriend, actress and socialite Tebogo Thobejane.
Thobejane was in a car with a friend when they were shot at while driving on the N1 in 2023. Thobejane sustained a wound to her foot, but her friend was in hospital for a long time with a spinal cord injury.
Le Roux said some of the numbers found on Matlala’s phone were under investigation.
“One of the contacts WO Officer Faneni Zungu of the DPCI [Hawks] [is] listed by the applicant as ‘Operator.’ Another number is still under investigation,” Le Roux said. “The phone had already been seized by a Sgt Sithole and placed on flight mode when confiscated.
“A contact identified as Serge Cabonge is also of interest. There is a strong suspicion that Cabonge played a role on the day of the attempted killing of Thobejane. He was in her company just hours before she was shot.
“Not only that, he had invited her to a traditional restaurant in Alexandra two weeks before the incident. Unbeknown to her at the time, Musa Kekana (accused one) was also present. She clearly recalled Kekana sitting there and watching her. She only realised this after the incident when she was shown a picture of Kekana,” Le Roux said.
Mogotsi is a businessman from the North West who is at the centre of a controversy involving allegations of political interference and links to organised crime, particularly in the disbandment of the police’s political killings task team.
This comes after his name was mentioned by Mkhwanazi during his bombshell media briefing when he revealed that Mogotsi had sent him confidential documents and claimed to be a close associate of Mchunu.
The matter was postponed to September 8 to allow the state to review Matlala’s newly drafted affidavit in support of his bail application.
SowetanLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.