Sibiya Testifies on Ties to Mogotsi and 'Cat' Matlala in Police Corruption Probe

When Shadrack Sibiya, Deputy National Police Commissioner for Crime Detection, stepped into Parliament’s hearing room on October 14, 2025, he didn’t just answer questions—he walked into a storm of allegations that could unravel the credibility of South Africa’s top crime-fighting unit. The Ad Hoc Committee to Investigate Allegations Made by the South African Police Service's KwaZulu-Natal Provincial CommissionerParliament of South Africa in Cape Town was probing the sudden disbanding of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), a unit once tasked with tracking politically motivated murders. And at the center of it all? Two shadowy figures: businessman Brown Mogotsi and murder accused Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala.

"I Knew Him as an Activist"

Sibiya admitted knowing Mogotsi—twice, in fact. Once during an official trip to Cape Town, and again over breakfast in January 2025. But friendship? "No," he said firmly. "He was not the kind I wanted to deliberately block. I deal with information. You don’t block the person who might save you one day." It’s an odd defense, but not unheard of in South Africa’s murky security landscape. Senior officials often take calls from people with "intelligence"—some credible, most not. But here’s the twist: Mogotsi wasn’t just some random tipster. He’s been accused of acting as a middleman between suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Matlala, who won the controversial Medicare24 police healthcare tender. That’s a R1.2 billion contract awarded without competitive bidding, according to internal SAPS documents reviewed by the committee.

The WhatsApp Trail

Advocate Norman Arendse SC, the committee’s evidence leader, laid out damning WhatsApp exchanges between Mogotsi and Matlala. In one, dated March 2025, Matlala writes: "The PKTT is done. They’re moving the dockets. Sibiya’s got it handled." Mogotsi replies: "Minister confirmed. Don’t worry, your tender is safe." The PKTT had 121 active dockets—many involving high-profile murders of activists, journalists, and opposition figures. Its dissolution wasn’t administrative. It was surgical. And Sibiya claims he was following a direct order from Mchunu. But here’s the catch: Mchunu denies it. "I never told him to shut down the PKTT," Mchunu told reporters on October 12, 2025. "I’ve thrown him under the bus? No. I’ve just told the truth." The contradiction is stark. Sibiya says he acted on ministerial authority. Mchunu says he didn’t. And now, the committee has evidence suggesting Mogotsi was the conduit between them.

"Cat" Matlala and the Tender That Shouldn’t Have Been

Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala is no ordinary businessman. He’s been charged with the murder of a former SAPS officer in 2023 and remains out on bail. Yet, in November 2024, his company, Medicare24, was awarded the police healthcare tender—despite having no prior experience in public health logistics. The award was flagged internally by SAPS auditors, who noted "significant irregularities in procurement documentation." Yet the contract proceeded.

The committee also uncovered that two former PKTT investigators were later implicated in corruption at Fort Hare University. Both had left the unit shortly before its dissolution. Coincidence? The committee isn’t buying it.

The Shooting That Wasn’t

On November 5, 2025, Central News reported a bizarre incident: bullets pierced the seats of Mogotsi’s vehicle—but no one was hurt. Ballistics showed the shots came from a moving car, likely an ambush. No arrests. No motive publicly stated. But the timing? Suspicious. Just weeks after he received a Rule 3 notice from the Madlanga Commission—a judicial body investigating corruption in the criminal justice system.

Mogotsi requested a five-day extension to respond to the notice, saying he needed to consult his lawyer on October 17. He got it. But the silence since then speaks volumes.

What’s Next?

The committee’s next big moment comes with Minister Mchunu’s testimony, expected before October 31, 2025. If he sticks to his denial, the entire chain of command comes into question. Was Sibiya acting alone? Or was he the fall guy for a deeper cover-up?

Meanwhile, the Madlanga Commission resumes hearings on October 17, 2025. And if Mogotsi doesn’t show up—or worse, if he’s too injured to testify after that shooting—the investigation could stall.

The Bigger Picture

This isn’t just about one unit being disbanded. It’s about the erosion of trust in South Africa’s criminal justice system. The PKTT was created after the 2018 murder of anti-corruption activist Sipho Mthembu. Its work was politically sensitive—and that’s exactly why it was dangerous. Now, the very people who were supposed to protect the truth may have buried it.

The rift between Sibiya and Mkhwanazi, the KZN commissioner who first blew the whistle, started after the arrest of rapper AKA (Kiernan Forbes) in June 2025. Mkhwanazi publicly criticized Sibiya’s handling of the case. Within weeks, the PKTT was dissolved. The pattern is too clear to ignore.