Cat VIP EMPD deal 'an oversight'

Suspended Ekurhuleni officials defended "irregular" deal with Matlala's private security company

- Nkateko Joseph Mabasa

Blood brothers: Julius Mkhwanazi told the Madlanga comission that he was "very, very close" to Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

(Delwyn Verasamy)

Senior City of Ekurhuleni officials, who appeared before the Madlanga commission investigating corruption in the criminal justice system this week, defended an "irregular" agreement with Cat VIP Protection Services as an "oversight".

Suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi and former city manager Imogen Mashazi were questioned over the fitting of blue lights — reserved for official law enforcement on private vehicles supplied by Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s company.

Mkhwanazi is accused of authorising the fitting of blue lights on seven private vehicles supplied by Matlala, who faces murder charges and is the alleged leader of the Big Five cartel.

"I didn’t install blue lights, I didn’t brand the cars. I didn’t see the cars physically; they didn’t come to the city of Ekurhuleni," Mkhwanazi told the commission.

Asked whether he had ever received money from Matlala, Mkhwanazi said they had a casual, “positive” relationship that included lunches, dinners, and even borrowing money.

“Sometimes he would give me money for petrol, and sometimes he would borrow money from me,” he said. He described Matlala as his “blood brother” and added that they were “very, very close”, although “the only thing he didn’t like was discussing politics”.

The senior EMPD officer denied receiving payment from Matlala to fit the private security company with official blue lights, but admitted that the latter assisted him financially when he was unemployed for some time. Mkhwanazi defended the EMPD’s engagement with Cat VIP as a response to security threats and a vehicle shortage, saying the arrangement cost the city nothing.