'MATLALA AGENTS GIVEN COP POWERS'

THE Madlanga Commission on Monday  heard that murder-accused Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala’s private security company were so diep in policing structures that they were doing investigations themselves. 

This was the explosive testimony of retired Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EPMD) Deputy Chief Revo Spies. 

Spies accused suspended acting chief Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi of forging signatures of his bosses to benefit alleged criminal kingpin Matlala.

Testifying before the Madlanga Commission on Monday, retired deputy chief Revo Spies alleged that Mkhwanazi altered official documents to disguise private deals with Matlala’s companies, Cat VIP Security and Medicare 24, under the guise of public–private cooperation.

Spies said the forged plans and accompanying memorandums of understanding (MOUs) effectively allowed Matlala’s firms to assume policing powers, including responding to emergencies, registering private vehicles as EMPD assets, and even conducting medical procedures during operations.

He said: “This memorandum purports to say a private company will act as police.”

He only became suspicious when he saw the signatures of the documents that something was wrong.

Spies pakked uit at the inquiry into police corruption with Matlala’s company even provided the EMPD with a helicopter they could use for just two hours a month.

Spies also claimed that Matlala’s agents assisted the Hawks’ Tactical Operations Unit and other law enforcement agencies at crime scenes - duties only the the South African Police Service are empowered to do under the Constitution.

Spies told the Commission: “They would go to Hammanskraal, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and do arrests. 

“And these would be good successes because there are arrests and that. But they acted completely out of scope. 

“They do criminal investigations, which is the sole mandate of the South African Police Service.”