Witness C has told the Madlanga Commission that Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala claimed to have paid R500,000 towards the presidential campaign of suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu.
The witness testified on Wednesday that Matlala was introduced to the minister by associates who were looking for funders to support his campaign.
“Indeed, Mr Matlala was one of the people who contributed to the campaign. He contributed about R500k, whereby he purchased flight tickets, paid for the accommodation for the members of the ANC who were going to Cape Town for the January 8 rally for the ANC,” he said.
The witness said Matlala made the payments via the controversial businessman Brown Mogotsi.
Witness C said he “jokingly” asked Matlala if he believed Mchunu would win the presidential bid, to which he responded: “He did not believe the minister would win the campaign, but he was afraid of discouraging him.”
Mchunu, who recently testified before Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating police corruption, was grilled about his alleged ties to Mogotsi and Matlala.
Mchunu vehemently denied knowing Matlala or having ties to criminal syndicates.
The minister said Matlala must be called to testify about whether “he really knows me.”
“I so wish that the Madlanga commission or even the ad hoc committee could call him to come here and attest or give testimony on his own whether he really knows me,” Mchuni said.
