Suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on Tuesday confirmed knowing North West businessman, Brown Mogotsi, as a comrade but denied knowing or ever meeting attempted murder accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
Testifying before the parliamentary inquiry probing allegations of corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system on Tuesday, the minister said he had known Mogotsi since 2017 as a comrade.
“I have never asked him if he is married or not. I have never gone to his home. I have never watched soccer with him, and I have never inquired about his personal life because we just occasionally talk about this and that,” he said.
Earlier, Mchunu sought to clarify his statement he made about Mogotsi at the meeting of the Police Portfolio Committee on March 5.
It was the same meeting KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said Mchunu’s chief of staff, Cedrick Nkabinde, told him that he is a very close associate of Mogotsi.
The minister said he had been asked if he wished to comment and had stated that he was approached by somebody who claimed someone was going around claiming to know him.
Mchunu said he did not mention who the person was, but was merely relating a story.
He said the person he denied knowing was not Mogotsi. “There is no way I could have lied there.”
Mchunu added that he had mentioned that someone was going around claiming to be his younger brother.
“I don’t have a younger because he perished in 2005,” he said.
He added that he cautioned the portfolio committee to be circumspect when names were dropped and that he had stated that Mogotsi was his comrade, contrary to Mkhwanazi’s claim that he was his associate.
“I said the person is not my associate, he is just a comrade,” he said before explaining his understanding of an associate.
Mchunu also said that when Mkhwanazi addressed a media briefing on July 6, he was twisting his words to fit his narrative that he did not know Mogotsi.
“When General Mkhwanazi made his statement on the 6th of July, he then tells the public something twisted. He says Minister Mchunu said he doesn’t know Brown Mogotsi in Parliament, which I never said in the portfolio committee; I don’t know him. I said he is not my associate.”
When Chief Evidence Leader Advocate Norman Arendse, SC, took him through the ethics complaint lodged by DA MP Lisa Schikerling, Mchunu said he made a submission to the Ethics Committee.
“I did so freely so but up to now I have not been called to clarify this matter,” he said. It was the first time he was explaining the matter related to knowing Mogotsi.
The minister denied having seen Mogotsi in Lusikisiki when he visited the area after a mass shooting amid claims by Mkhwanazi that Mogotsi had informed him that he was with the minister there.
“I don’t remember seeing Mogotsi in Lusikisiki. Television can be played to see if there is his face. He would have been seen there by someone,” he said, adding that Mogotsi may have texted Mkhwanani sitting at his home, as his arrival was broadcast live.
“I have concluded afterwards that he is a bit crafty somehow.”
However, Arendse said there will be a witness who will give evidence that he met with Mogotsi and Matlala, who was sponsoring his son.
Mchunu said he never met Matlala alone or in the company of Mogotsi or any capacity.
“He is not somebody I have spoken to directly. I don’t know him.”
The minister said he only heard about Matlala in December when National Commissioner Fannie Masemola informed him about the health services tender he was awarded in the SAPS.
Asked about how he obtained an affidavit from Matlala that deposed in September while at C-Max prison, Mchunu said he got it from his lawyers.
“They said they had a chat with Matlala’s lawyers in their own time and own way.
“They said they received it from Matlala’s lawyers,” he said, adding that his lawyers gave him the affidavit about two days ago.
He said he had been emphatic that he did not know Matlala when preparing for his testimony to the inquiry.
“I am not fooling you or playing games. I have never met Matlala. I have never seen him with my naked eye.”
Mchunu said his lawyers took the initiative to enquire on their own to obtain the affidavit.
Pressed by EFF leader Julius Malema that he never solicited the affidavit, but his lawyers did so without his instruction, he said he had expressed his wish.
“I was wishing and they carried it out.”
He explained his wish had been to get a word from the person people try so hard to associate him with and expressed his “wish he (Matlala) could testify if he knows me”.
However, Arendse said the witness will testify that Mchunu has a business relationship with Matlala, that he was funding his campaign for ANC presidency, and made a contribution to his son.
“I have no knowledge of such,” he said.
mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu appearing befire the parliamtary inquiry probing allegations of criminal infiltration and political interference in criminal justice system
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