A storm of allegations shook South Africa’s political and law enforcement structures on Sunday following KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s explosive media briefing.
Brown Mogotsi: WhatsApp texts link alleged tenderpreneur to SAPS top brass
At the centre of the accusations is a man named Brown Mogotsi — a politically connected individual with no official position in government, yet allegedly wielding immense influence within the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Mkhwanazi accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of orchestrating the disbandment of the SAPS political killings task team in KwaZulu-Natal earlier this year.
According to the commissioner, the task team had uncovered a powerful criminal syndicate implicated in political assassinations, and Brown Mogotsi’s name surfaced repeatedly in that context.
Mkhwanazi told the media that in March 2025, 121 case dockets being handled by the task team were removed and redirected on orders from Minister Mchunu.
This followed the deployment of 10 officers from KZN to support a separate investigation in Gauteng, where links between criminal networks and senior political figures, including Mogotsi, allegedly emerged.
The KZN commissioner cited messages recovered from the phone of businessman Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala, who is facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder.
One message from Mogotsi to Matlala read, “I have arranged a meeting for Sibiya and the minister, they must have a solution.”
Another said:
“The task team that came to your house and harassed you have been dissolved. They got the letter on Monday. As we speak, they are bringing all dockets to Sibiya.”
These communications, according to Mkhwanazi, suggest Mogotsi acted as a broker between senior police officials and politically connected businesspeople.
Who is Brown Mogotsi? According to Mkhwanazi’s earlier comments in April and further reinforced in his latest exposé, Mogotsi is a self-styled businessman from Seweding in North West, a well-known ANC member and former rival of party heavyweight Supra Mahumapelo.
Despite holding no formal title in the state, he allegedly operated with authority typically reserved for government officials, issuing directives and influencing SAPS decisions.
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The commissioner also pointed to financial records showing that Matlala supported travel and accommodation costs for Mogotsi and associates attending ANC events, suggesting deeper political and financial connections.
Mchunu previously denied knowing Mogotsi in a parliamentary setting.
However, a recording shared online appeared to contradict this, with the minister reportedly referring to Mogotsi as “his comrade from North West.”
In response to these revelations, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said the party took the allegations seriously.
“The ANC reaffirms its commitment to accountability, non-interference in law enforcement, and the full protection of whistleblowers,” his statement read.
The ANC has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to respond decisively. Ramaphosa, speaking from the BRICS Summit in Rio, noted the severity of the claims and said the matter would be addressed upon his return to South Africa.