I know ‘Cat’ Matlala very well: Cele

Former Police Minister, Bheki Cele, has alleged that attempted murder accused Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala, was financing Senzo Mchunu’s campaign to become the ANC’s next president or deputy.

Cele is leaving no stone unturned as he testified before Parliament’s ad-hoc committee probing KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s explosive allegations made on July 6.

Cele, who was the police minister between 2018 and 2024, is expected to shed some light on the operations of the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), which was established during his tenure.

Cele told the commission that he knows Matlala very well and that he met him in December 2024.

He alleges that Matlala told him that he was being used in a political game to fund Mchunu’s presidential ambitions. This is despite Mchunu telling the commission that he has no personal relationship with Matlala.

Mchunu, who was placed on special leave in July, also submitted an affidavit from Matlala asserting that the two were not close — a move MPs criticised during cross-examination.

Cele told the commission that the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team was procedurally flawed.

He also dismissed Mchunu’s claims that the unit was consuming too much of the department’s budget, calling the justification baseless.

“For me, then, it could not be the question of money.  It should be, then, the question of safety of those people. To say only one councillor has been killed so it can withdraw, I hope people are not going to say it’s sour grapes.

“So there is no minister that has been shot, so withdraw the PSS, because not one has been shot there.  If your measurement is one dying, why don’t you withdraw those that nobody has died?  So maybe it’s sour grapes because I’m not there, I don’t have the PSS.  But I’m trying to show that that can’t be the measurement.

“When you have an expensive unit called PSS, that is guarding safe people.”

The former minister also slammed the Department of Correctional Services for failing to curb criminal activities allegedly orchestrated from prisons.

Cele also made reference to one of the accused in the Senzo Meyiwa murder case, Fisokuhle Ntuli who is currently serving six life sentences, even at the time of Meyiwa’s murder.

“Across the justice system, one major issue for police is the bail system. That thing called bail is a mess.”

Cele is expected to return to the committee tomorrow.

Can this testimony affect Cat Matlala verdict on Friday? #AdHocCommittee

— Clement (@ClemmentNS) October 23, 2025

So Senzo Mchunu was also feeding “CAT” Matlala with information?? 😭😭😭 Ndosi is really COOKING now 🔥🔥🔥 #AdHocCommittee pic.twitter.com/2wgDkJRJmr

— BLACKITY⭐ (@Kay_Rantai) October 23, 2025

When is Cat Matlala coming to the AdHoc committee?
He is going to bring hell.

— SUPAMEGA🇿🇦 (@TA_SLASH790) October 23, 2025

Unlike the liar Senzo Mchunu, Bheki Cele has admitted knowing and having met Cat Matlala. #AdHocCommittee #MadlangaCommission pic.twitter.com/7gu0RMZEHo

— Tshepo (@6L_V12) October 23, 2025

I am starting to like Bheki Cele “Inunu”.
He speaks with no files before him. He knows his story. He’s throwing them under the bus, 1 by 1.

Ngcobo | Cat Matlala | Tony Yengeni | Kaizer Chiefs

— Donald (@Bohitile) October 23, 2025