One of police minister Senzo Mchunu’s alleged associates, Brown Mogotsi, has been exposed as a violent former criminal with three previous convictions, including assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, defeating the ends of justice, and reckless and negligent driving.
Correctional services department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said Mogotsi had convictions dating back to 2011.
“Brown Mogotsi had three cases with three different registration numbers,” Nxumalo said.
“[He was] sentenced to six months for defeating ends of justice. [His] sentence expiry [was on] September 9 2011. [He was] sentenced to six months for assault with grievous bodily harm (GBH). [His] sentence expiry [was on] November 26 2011. [He was] sentenced to three to five years for assault GBH, reckless and negligent driving. [His] sentence expiry [was on] November 30 2016.”
However, Nxumalo said the correctional services system had gaps and it did not have every detail about individual inmates and their crimes.
While the minister knows and has met Mr Brown Mogotsi, he is just a comrade and not an associate of the minister.
— Kamogelo Mogotsi, Senzo Mchunu’s spokesperson
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi on Sunday accused senior law enforcement officials, including Mchunu, of interfering in cases police were investigating, and protecting controversial businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
Mkhwanazi alleged that Mchunu had ties with people outside the police force – including Matlala and Mogotsi – who influenced his decisions.
He claimed Mogotsi had influenced some decisions made by Mchunu, including disbanding the police’s political killings task team in December.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation on the matter on Sunday night. His spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, said: “President Ramaphosa was attending a Brics summit in Brazil ... when Mkhwanazi outlined numerous allegations at a media briefing.
“The president undertook to attend to this development on his return from Brazil, in view of the implications for national security. [He] has been seized with this matter in recent days and will, after various consultations, take the nation into his confidence at 7pm on Sunday.”
National Assembly speaker Thoko Didiza on Wednesday asked the portfolio committees on police, and justice and constitutional development, and the joint standing committee on intelligence, to investigate the allegations against Mchunu.
However, on Wednesday, Mchunu denied any ties with Matlala, who was awarded a R360m police tender in 2024. He said that he had “never spoken to him, or ever requested or received anything from him”.
Mchunu’s spokesperson, Kamogelo Mogotsi, said: “The minister did, however, initiate a review of the SAPS tender awarded to him when suspicions of possible wrongdoing surfaced. It was the same tender which has since been terminated.”
Mchunu had previously denied knowing [Brown] Mogotsi, but later changed his tune. “While the minister knows and has met Mr Brown Mogotsi, he is just a comrade and not an associate of the minister. The minister has never requested or received anything from him,” his spokesperson said.
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