Alleged criminal mastermind Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala has expressed frustration at being implicated in too many investigations, which he claims makes it nearly impossible for him to answer questions honestly.
Matlala continued his testimony at the Madlanga Commission on Wednesday, where he pulled out all the stops to avoid answering questions about his relationship with former KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Major-General Lesetja Senona.
Matlala claimed that he had been visited by a police task team and prison officials to be questioned about his dealings with Senona. On Tuesday, Matlala experienced similar difficulties when addressing his relationship with suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya.
“So I do not know whether it is a wise move to comment while there’s an ongoing investigation, which I’m aware of. Unless if it’s something that has nothing to do with that investigation, then I’ll be happy to comment on that,” said Matlala.
“I’m not here because I want to frustrate the process of the commission.
“I also want to help, but I also need to know where I stand legally. That whatever I do, it won’t implicate me. So, since there’s an ongoing investigation, which I’m aware of, I thought that there’s a legal basis for why I do not want to answer that question.
“So it’s not like I do not want to because I don’t care. It’s not like that. So I said, if maybe there is a question that involves General Senona, but it’s not part of what they are investigating, I’m willing to answer that question.
“So I do not know, because the same question that I’ve been asked here, I’ve been asked by the same people who are investigating the case,” he said.
Matlala has consistently invoked his rights against self-incrimination and to a fair trial, but admitted, when pressed on Senona, that he did not even know which right to rely on to avoid answering the questions, suggesting he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
“I wanted to ask now, will I ever be afforded the chance to, if I see there’s a question that will implicate myself, will I be afforded the chance to say, no, this question, I’m not comfortable answering it?
“It will implicate myself. I’m saying regarding General Senona. So, if there is a question that will implicate myself, because now I do not know how I should.
“The thing is, I do not know the difference between which right I must invoke, which privilege I must invoke. So I do not know how now I must move forward with this,” said a visibly frustrated Matlala.
The commission has been accommodating of Matlala’s apprehensions, cautioning him against failing to respond to the many allegations made against him by other witnesses.
“The idea of the engagement was not at all to stop you from asserting your privilege where that’s warranted.
“That’s not the idea. But what we are engaging you on is that, to the extent that there may be questions around or about General Senona that do not bear relevance to any possible or alleged criminality, which is what the basis for asserting the privilege would be, then there is no reason or basis for you not to answer the questions.
“But you know better. You are in a better position to know that. But once we get there, now that does entitle me to assert my privilege.
“So we are not suggesting that for as long as we are talking about General Senona, then you are barred from asserting your privilege,” said commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, assuring Matlala of his rights both as a witness to the commission and as a criminal accused.