KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Maj-Gen Lesetja Senona has confirmed that he is facing a charge of misconduct linked to alleged drug cartel member Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
Senona, who appeared before the Madlanga commission yesterday, is accused of sharing classified information with Matlala. He told the commission that the national office took action against him.
“I have received a letter of intended transfer on January 23 as well as a notice of misconduct pending investigations that is emanating from the commission,” he said.
Senona told the commission that he is dissatisfied with the manner in which he is being dealt with, also suggesting that the timing of the letter might be planned to intimidate him from testifying before the commission.
The commission is investigating allegations of criminal infiltration, political interference, and corruption in the criminal justice system.
Previous witness told the commission that Senona shared sensitive police information with Matlala because he wanted to boost the business relationship between his son Thato and Matlala.
“These things I am accused of, that I leaked classified information to Mr Matlala, are not true. The things I shared with Matlala are in the public domain, and there was nothing that I took from [the] office to Mr Matlala.
“The allegations are false; they are mainly speculative in nature,” Senona said.
However, Senona confirmed that Matlala and his son had planned to purchase a property in Pretoria; however, the plan did not materialise.
He also told the commission that he met Matlala around 2018 at his traditional wedding, and Matlala was introduced to him by his wife’s relative, who was in a relationship with Matlala at the time.
He said he liked Matlala because he appeared “humble and respectful”, and he had become like his younger brother.
Senona also dropped a bombshell about KZN police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi meeting with Matlala in April. According to Senona, Mkhwanazi had promised to halt an investigation of attempted murder against Matlala.
Senona said he went with Matlala to the meeting at a hotel because he wanted to offer him moral support.
“The meeting was called by former [police] minister Bheki Cele, but he was not there. To my recollection, [Lt-] Gen [Mkhwanazi] agreed to assist Mr Matlala with purchase orders [for the R360m SAPS tender that Matlala had with police].
“[Lt-] Gen [Mkhwanazi] offered us drinks. Then I heard that he also offered to hold [off an] investigation against Mr Matlala for the alleged attempted murder of [his ex-girlfriend] Tebogo Thobejane in exchange for information on Lt-Gen [Shadrack] Sibiya,” Senona said.
Thobejane was shot in 2023 while she was travelling with her friend on the N1. Thobejane sustained a foot injury, but her friend sustained a serious spinal cord injury and was in the hospital for months.
Matlala was arrested in May 2024 and is in custody in the Ebongweni high-security prison in Kokstad.
He is expected to appear at the Johannesburg high court later this week for trial.
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