Political Killings Task Team member says ‘Cat’ Matlala dropped names of top cops during raid

Witness C, from the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), stunned the Madlanga Commission when he alleged that organised-crime accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala dropped the names and contact details of suspended Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, SAPS Head of Organised Crime, Major-General Richard Shibiri, and Major-General Feroz Khan, the SAPS head of security and counterintelligence, during a raid.

Taking the stand on Friday, 24 October 2025, Witness C testified that information gathered in the kidnapping of Pretoria businessman Jerry Boshoga suggested his business partner, Matlala, had kidnapped him.

Witnesses A, B and C, all police officers, have been testifying in camera at the commission this week from safe locations. Their voices have been broadcast but their faces and identities have not been disclosed.

A search-and-seizure operation was executed on 6 December 2024 at Matlala’s Centurion home. Witness C, accompanied by 20 police combat members, arrived at 2pm and conducted a thorough search of the property but found no trace of Boshoga, who remains missing. 

Read more: Unearthing policing skulduggery – A crime cartel, a kidnapping and an ‘informant’

Matlala is currently on trial for the attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend, Tebogo Thobejane, and is alleged in testimony at the Madlanga Commission to be a key figure in a drug cartel known as the Big Five. Top police officers testified that the cartel has infiltrated South Africa’s politics and law enforcement.

Matlala is also alleged to have tried to push for the disbandment of the PKTT, and was allegedly informed by North West businessman Brown Mogotsi of sidelined police minister Senzo Mchunu’s move to disband the team. 

The December 2024 operation coincided with simultaneous raids to arrest Katiso “KT” Molefe, also alleged to be a member of the Big Five, and his nephew, Lucky Molefe.

Intimidation attempt

Witness C said that as the police interviewed Matlala, “He started to tell us that he was the recipient of the SAPS health tender worth R1.2-billion for three years.”

Matlala was awarded a R360-million SAPS health services contract in 2024, which was later cancelled. It’s unclear whether the R1.2-billion referred to was Witness C’s mistake, or if Matlala had inflated the amount of his contract. 

Witness C continued: “Matlala said he had close connections with ranking police officers and mentioned the name and contact details for Deputy National Commissioner Shadrick Sibiya, Major-General Richard Shibiri and Major-General Feroz Khan,” Witness C said.

Shibiri’s name was introduced earlier in the week when a police witness said he had suggested that kickbacks would be available for those who helped Molefe get bail for the murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart. 

The allegations tie in with the evidence of Witness B, which she presented on Thursday. These included excerpts of WhatsApp messages between Shibiri and Matlala. The messages were recovered from Matlala’s cellphone, which Witness C seized during the raid. 

Shibiri is expected to testify at the commission and has yet to comment on the allegations. Controversial intelligence boss Khan has also yet to comment on the allegations.

Read more: Envelopes and missing evidence — Madlanga Commission hears allegations of murder cover-up

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has accused Sibiya of being part of a vast plot to thwart investigations into the Big Five.

Testifying in Parliament’s ad hoc committee inquiry into the allegations, Sibiya has dismissed the allegations and accused Mkhwanazi of “playing a mind game”. He is yet to respond to the evidence that has emerged in the Madlanga Commission.

Read more: Shadrack Sibiya, Hawks linked to alleged interference in KT Molefe’s arrest

Witness C went on to say why he was startled by what Matlala revealed because it is “my opinion that Matlala said that and dropped the names of senior officials in order to intimidate us”. DM