The security company owned by alleged drug cartel member Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala acted rogue by doing criminal investigations while working with Ekurhuleni metro police department (EMPD) as they didn’t have the power to do so.
This is according to retired EMPD deputy chief of policing Revo Spies, who was testifying at the Madlanga commission on Monday.
CAT VIP and EMPD acted completely out of scope.
— Revo Spies, retired EMPD deputy chief of policing
He said a large portion of what Matlala’s CAT VIP Protection and the EMPD were doing was actually them ”acting rogue".
“They would hear a rumour here, and they would go and make an arrest. They would arrest in Hammanskraal, Free State and Kwa-Zulu Natal; they would go and arrest, and it would be a successful arrest according to them.
“They (CAT VIP and EMPD) acted completely out of scope. They had no power to do criminal investigations at all, but they would,” said Spies.
Spies told the commission that he didn’t understand some of the operation reports that were sent to him by the acting chief of EMPD, Brig Julius Mkhwanazi.
Some of the reports that were sent to Spies show that EMPD, together with the Hawks and CAT VIP Protection, worked together to trace suspects in Soweto.
“Commissioners, this is one of the roguenesses that I would like to touch on later. In terms of the SA Police Service Act, we as metro police have a specific mandate, which is traffic enforcement, by-laws enforcement and crime prevention.
“But we are further restricted to our areas except... there is a clause that allows collaboration that allows us to extend [to other cities] upon request,” he said.
Last week the commission heard from suspended chief of police Jabulani Mapiyeye how Mkhwanazi and VIP Protection entered an unlawful memorandum agreement which led to the city fitting blue lights to some of the vehicles of VIP Protection.
Mapiyeye said Matlala’s security guards also protected senior Ekurhuleni officials during the state of the city address in March 2022.
He said that on the day he thought the armed men in suits were bodyguards of delegates that came from other cities or provinces.
“After identifying that the threats were not only on inner parameters, we requested CAT VIP Protection, Matlala’s company, to assist us with a team of well-trained protectors who are former members of the SANDF task force and SAPS tactical unit to give backup to our VIP escort deployment at outer parameters [and] high buildings, working with the SWAT unit under our command at specialised services,” Mkhwanazi told Mapiyeye at the time.
Spies told the commission that had he known that at the time, he would have never allowed a private security company to guard his principals.
Mapiyeye also told the commission that Mkhwanazi promoted 55 candidates to senior positions within three months, and some positions were filled without being advertised.
Mapiyeye, who was suspended over sexual harassment allegations in August last year, said the appointments were irregular because some were made without being advertised and that Mkhwanazi had no authority to make the appointments.
The appointments were made between May and July 2024 and included directors, inspectors and superintendents, he said.
The hearing continues.
Sowetan
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