Author: Kgaogelo Magolego

Alleged criminal kingpin Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala is expected to deliver explosive testimony on Wednesday before Parliament’s ad hoc committee probing allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. The hearings are being held this week at the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre to accommodate Matlala, who remains in custody while awaiting trial. Matlala sits at the centre of claims by Mkhwanazi that powerful criminal cartels have infiltrated South Africa’s justice system by capturing politicians, senior police officers and even members of the judiciary. He has previously told the police’s Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) that he had dealings…

Lawyers representing Vusimuzi Matlala, a key figure in the ongoing parliamentary inquiry into allegations made by Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, have launched an eleventh-hour bid to postpone their client’s scheduled appearance before the Ad Hoc Committee, citing “impossible” preparation deadlines and the severe impact of his detention in C-Max prison. In a strongly worded letter addressed to Evidence Leader Advocate Norman Arendse SC and Committee Chairperson Hon Soviet Lekganyane, attorneys Abrams Madira Inc demanded that tomorrow’s (26 November) proceedings be postponed indefinitely to allow adequate legal consultation and preparation. The firm argued that the sheer volume of documents and affidavits disclosed…

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu misled Parliament when he informed the ad hoc committee investigating allegations of cartel infiltration, corruption, political interference, and unlawful activities within the criminal justice system that the Police Killings Task Team (PKTT) was straining SAPS finances. During his appearance before the committee last month, Mchunu defended his failed decision to disband the PKTT by citing budget constraints, claiming that other vital functions were left unfunded as a result. These allegations — concerning financial strain and lack of accountability within the PKTT — were echoed by suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, Mchunu’s reported advisor Marry…

Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating alleged cartel infiltration, corruption and political interference in South Africa’s criminal justice system has relocated its hearings to Kgosi Mampuru II Maximum Security Prison in Pretoria. The unprecedented move is to allow detained businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, described as a central figure in the alleged syndicate, to testify safely on Wednesday, 26 November 2025. Committee spokesperson confirmed the decision was taken “to ensure the safety and security of all parties involved”. Hearings will begin with testimony from two senior police officials: The pair faced questions on procurement irregularities, including the cancelled R360-million tender awarded to…

The African Union (AU) is poised to reject a European proposal to include a commitment to address “hybrid threats” in the final declaration of the upcoming EU–AU Summit, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday in Luanda, Angola. European delegates have been lobbying African leaders to adopt the hybrid threats concept, which has often been used in Western political and security frameworks to portray China and Russia as destabilising influences. According to NATO, hybrid threats involve a combination of covert and overt strategies — including disinformation, cyberattacks, economic pressure and political interference — used to achieve geopolitical objectives without triggering traditional warfare.…

Right-wing organisations Afriforum and Solidarity have come under widespread ridicule following their unsuccessful bid to sabotage the G20 Summit in Johannesburg. The groups celebrated prematurely when then-US President Donald Trump claimed he would boycott the summit, citing unsubstantiated allegations of a “white genocide.” However, the South African government responded with measured concern, noting that Washington’s absence could complicate the handover of the G20 presidency. The U.S. Embassy initially issued a confusing diplomatic note suggesting a delegation would attend — only for White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly to later hold a press briefing declaring, “We are not going to…

A peaceful demonstration led by 16-year-old activist Tshenolo Williams in Johannesburg on Friday rapidly grew into a mass protest, bringing parts of the CBD to a standstill as hundreds joined the call to end gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF). Williams, a Grade 11 learner and founder of the NGO Justice for South Africa, initially began the protest at Gandhi Square with around a dozen supporters. Members of COSAS (Congress of South African Students) later joined after their own earlier-planned march failed to take off. “Women and children are being raped and murdered daily. Silence is no longer an option —…

Bridget Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria hosting Phase 2 of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into Political Killings and Police Criminality turned into a pressure cooker on Thursday as controversial North West businessman Brown Mogotsi, who styles himself as a high-level undercover operative, visibly crumbled during his third consecutive day on the stand. Mogotsi spent hours sighing audibly, rubbing his temples and scratching his head in clear frustration as Chief Evidence Leader Advocate Matthew Chaskalson methodically tore apart his testimony. The self-proclaimed Crime Intelligence “agent” has previously made explosive allegations involving the CIA, multi-million-rand bribes, and attempts to collapse the…

As parliamentary and commission inquiries into alleged criminal infiltration, corruption and political interference within South Africa’s criminal justice system continue, witnesses aligned with Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s perceived faction have increasingly faced scrutiny over their testimony and conduct. Alleged influence broker Brown Mogotsi, currently on special leave, and Mary de Haas, who admitted to incorrectly presenting herself as a professor during testimony before Parliament’s ad-hoc committee in Cape Town, appeared before the inquiry. Questioned Credentials De Haas, who teaches at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, initially maintained she was a professor but later clarified under pressure that she had not completed…

Calls for a national shutdown on Thursday remain uncertain, after various fringe groups initially mobilised around gender-based violence (GBV) but later added broader political demands, including the removal of President Cyril Ramaphosa and an end to the Government of National Unity (GNU). On Monday, a small youth-led demonstration took place in the Johannesburg CBD, despite rainy weather. The group marched to Luthuli House, the ANC headquarters, where they sang struggle songs—some calling for the removal of both the ANC and President Ramaphosa. The protest appeared leaderless and unpermitted, with participants acknowledging that they failed to secure a march permit. Protester Khensani Thwala claimed authorities refused permits as a form of “oppression,” saying the group chose to demonstrate regardless.…