KZN Top Cop Implicates Ekurhuleni Metro Police Boss in ‘Cat’ Matlala Scandal
Pretoria – Ekurhuleni Metro Police’s Director of Special Services, Julius Mkhwanazi, has been implicated by Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi as the main “blesser” of controversial businessman Vusi “Cat” Matlala, with allegations of registering five of Matlala’s vehicles under the municipality’s name and providing him with blue lights.
The shocking revelation emerged during Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Thursday, September 18, 2025, where the KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner detailed how corruption has infiltrated police ranks, including Ekurhuleni’s metro force. Julius Mkhwanazi, who was previously suspended in 2023 for allegedly abusing state resources, stands accused of enabling Matlala – the tender tycoon facing multiple murder charges – to flaunt municipal perks like emergency lights, a move that could expose deeper rot in Gauteng’s law enforcement. For residents of Ekurhuleni – a sprawling East Rand hub of 3.2 million where metro cops patrol potholed streets and township shadows – this bombshell hits close: if top brass are “blessing” crooks, who watches the watchers?
The Madlanga Commission, probing criminal infiltration of state institutions since August 2025, has become a national soap opera, with Mkhwanazi’s Day 2 testimony peeling back layers on how syndicates allegedly cosy up to badges. In a packed Pretoria courtroom, the commissioner laid it bare: Julius Mkhwanazi, head of special services since 2022, allegedly looped Matlala’s fleet – luxury SUVs and sedans – into the municipality’s books, slapping on blue lights for VIP treatment amid ongoing probes into Matlala’s alleged hitman hires. “These vehicles were then given to Mr ‘Cat’ Matlala,” Mkhwanazi testified, linking it to broader corruption where officials trade favours for kickbacks. Matlala, 48 and no stranger to headlines, faces charges in the attempted murders of actress Tebogo Thobejane and taxi boss Joe Sibanyoni, plus conspiracy in DJ Sumbody’s 2022 N1 ambush – cases where metro perks could have greased escapes.
Julius Mkhwanazi’s 2023 suspension – for allegedly misusing state vehicles in a personal spat – adds smoke to the fire, with insiders whispering of a pattern: from joyrides to syndicate shields. Ekurhuleni Metro Police, with 2,000 officers battling crime in Benoni to Boksburg, now faces scrutiny: if special services – the unit handling VIP escorts and intel – is compromised, trust crumbles in a metro where car hijackings top 1,000 yearly.
Madlanga Spotlight: From KZN Killings to Gauteng Graft
Mkhwanazi’s testimony, kicking off the commission’s infiltration phase, ties Ekurhuleni’s mess to his KZN crusade: political hits, docket dumps, and cop-cartel cosiness. The probe, born from his July 6 presser that toppled Senzo Mchunu, has gripped SA – Day 2 drew gasps as he fingered metro bosses in Matlala’s web. Matlala, the Sandton sharp in a R100 million tender empire, allegedly leaned on Julius for “state plates” on private rides – a perk that screams abuse in a force already rocked by 2024’s R50 million vehicle scandal.
Ekurhuleni Mayor Sivuyile Ngwezi, from the DA-led coalition, called for “swift action” in a statement: “No tolerance for corruption – an investigation is underway.” ANC’s Mzwandile Makhubele fired back: “Political hit job – let due process prevail.” Julius, 55 and a 25-year vet, denies it all via lawyers: “Baseless smears – we’ll clear our name.”
Cat’s Claws: Matlala’s Metro Ties Under Microscope
Matlala’s saga – from Thobejane’s 2023 Sandton shooting to Sumbody’s N1 massacre – now ropes in metro muscle. The AK-47-linked hitman, remanded in Joburg Central, allegedly used “blessed” rides for dodgy deals, per Mkhwanazi. His 2023 suspension? For “misuse” in a family feud – a probe that fizzled, but now revives questions on oversight.
The Madlanga machine, with R150 million budget, rolls on – Phase 2 on syndicates could net more badges. For Ekurhuleni’s streets – from Germiston’s malls to Daveyston’s dust – it’s a wake-up: if special services shield suspects, who shields the public? As Mkhwanazi testifies, the commission’s glare grows – one “blesser” at a time.
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