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Ekurhuleni’s Security Scandal: How a ‘Cat Cartel’ Boss Ended Up Guarding the City
Criminal Ties Exposed at the Madlanga Commission
The Madlanga Commission has heard explosive testimony that a man accused of running one of Gauteng’s most powerful criminal cartels was once hired to protect the City of Ekurhuleni. The revelation has cast a harsh light on how deep criminal networks may have seeped into local government structures.
According to Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) chief Jabulani Mapiyeye, notorious underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, head of CAT VIP Protection, provided official municipal security services during the city’s 2022 State of the City Address.
The startling detail came out during Mapiyeye’s testimony before the commission on Thursday, where he stated that his department never authorised the company’s involvement.
“I was never consulted about the deployment of CAT VIP Protection at the event,” he said. “It was a parallel security process that operated without authorisation from my office.”
A Backdoor Deal
Mapiyeye testified that his deputy, Julius Mkhwanazi, struck an independent deal with Matlala’s private security firm. The arrangement reportedly came after intelligence suggested certain groups were planning to “collapse” the high-profile event. Instead of routing the matter through official EMPD channels, Mkhwanazi allegedly took matters into his own hands, bringing in CAT VIP Protection for “additional support.”
The partnership effectively gave a private company linked to organised crime access to an official municipal event, a decision that bypassed all internal approvals.
The scandal deepened after KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi told the commission that Julius Mkhwanazi allegedly went even further. He claimed the deputy fitted blue lights onto five of Matlala’s private vehicles and illegally registered them as EMPD cars. Those vehicles, he said, were later used for municipal operations.
Mkhwanazi has since been placed on special leave pending disciplinary and criminal investigations. He has publicly denied the allegations, saying the commissioner’s statements were misleading.
Corruption, Collusion, and Chaos
The Madlanga Commission, established to investigate corruption and political interference within municipalities, has repeatedly raised alarms about what it calls “a crisis of integrity” inside public institutions.
For many residents of Ekurhuleni, the revelation feels like confirmation of what’s long been suspected, that the line between law enforcement and organised crime has blurred dangerously.
The case also highlights the growing influence of private security firms across South Africa, where policing gaps and municipal weaknesses have created space for questionable contractors to thrive.
Allegations Shadowing the Witness
Mapiyeye himself is no stranger to controversy. He was suspended by the City of Ekurhuleni in September 2024 following sexual harassment allegations brought forward by a female EMPD officer. The complainant has obtained a protection order and accused Mapiyeye of offering promotions in exchange for sexual favours. That case is still being heard in the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court.
Despite facing his own legal troubles, Mapiyeye’s testimony has triggered renewed scrutiny of the municipality’s procurement systems and the ease with which individuals with criminal backgrounds gained access to state functions.
What Comes Next
Mapiyeye is set to continue his testimony on Friday, where he is expected to shed more light on how Mkhwanazi allegedly ran what he called “a parallel structure” within Ekurhuleni’s law enforcement arm.
Advocates Mahlape Sello SC and Ofentse Motlhasedi are leading the evidence before the commission, which has promised to unravel every link between city officials and criminal syndicates operating under the radar.
For Ekurhuleni’s residents, the hearing is more than a scandal; it’s a test of whether justice can still hold its ground in a city where power and protection may have been sold to the highest bidder.
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Source: IOL
Featured Image: News24
