Brown Mogotsi, the controversial businessman and alleged associate of suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, made a series of frantic calls to inmate Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala on the very day a top general exposed deep-rooted corruption within the South African Police Service.
The revelation came from prosecutor Elize le Roux during Matlala’s bail application at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court. Le Roux stated that data extracted from a mobile phone illegally possessed by Matlala in his prison cell showed multiple attempted contacts from Mogotsi on Sunday, 6 July 2025. This was the same day KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi held a televised media briefing that sent political shockwaves through the nation, ultimately leading to Minister Mchunu being placed on a leave of absence by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
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“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,” Le Roux told the court. “What is telling is that the applicant was, in fact, watching this press conference on the confiscated phone.”
Associate Of Senzo Mchunu Made Desperate Calls To Cat Matlala On The Day Of Mkhwanazi’s Bombshell
The court heard how correctional services officials discovered Matlala with the contraband device. According to two official affidavits presented by the state, Matlala attempted to dispose of the evidence when confronted hastily.
“Matlala attempted to conceal the phone by throwing it into a toilet,” Le Roux stated, confirming that officials successfully retrieved the device. The phone was immediately secured for forensic analysis. “A member of the investigation team took possession of the phone and ensured it was submitted for data extraction on the same day,” she added.
The contents of the phone have raised further serious questions for investigators. Le Roux revealed that the list of contacts included a serving officer from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), commonly known as the Hawks.
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“One of the contacts WO Officer Faneni Zungu of the DPCI [is] listed by the applicant as ‘Operator’,” the prosecutor said. Another number remains under investigation.
The bail application, which relates to charges of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and money laundering against Matlala concerning his ex-girlfriend, actress Tebogo Thobejane, was postponed to 8 September. The state requested the delay to review Matlala’s newly submitted affidavit. The investigation continues to untangle a complex web linking alleged criminal activity, political interference, and corruption at the highest levels of law enforcement.