Mashatile denies meeting with, or even knowing, Matlala

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has denied the claim that he met or intended to meet controversial murder-accused businessman, Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala. The deputy president released a statement following explosive revelations made at the Madlanga commission on Monday. Sgt Fannie Nkosi, who was on the witness stand at the commission, said during one of his calls with Matlala, the businessman told him that he needed his bank card, which was in Nkosi’s possession, because he had a meeting with Mashatile.

Keith Khoza, the deputy president’s spokesperson, dismissed these claims in a statement. “Of significance is that the deputy president does not know the individuals referenced in the testimony and has never had any association or dealings with them. Of greater significance is that the deputy president was out of the country at the time that Matlala purportedly met with him or intended to do so.” During the testimony, evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson probed Nkosi about his possession of Matlala’s bank card.

Nkosi explained that he had called Matlala, and he had asked for his card, saying he wanted to use it. According to Nkosi, Matlala allegedly stated that he would later meet suspended deputy national commissioner for crime detection, Lt-Gen Sibiya, and the deputy president. Chaskalson asked Nkosi how he understood the urgent need for the card, as well as the nature of the series of meetings mentioned.

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Nkosi stated that Matlala just wanted his card, adding that when Matlala called him about the bank card and license, he was busy. Chaskalson stuck to the line of questioning, asking why Nkosi didn’t mention this call in his erstwhile statement, omitting that Matlala needed the card to meet Mashatile and Sibiya. Nkosi said it was mentioned somewhere in the statement submitted to the commission, and that he did not mention it because it was a human error.

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