Smangaliso Nsizwane, an associate of Vusimusi "Cat" Matlala, has testified at the Madlanga commission that he did not know what the white "bricks" in a video were. Nsizwane sent the video to Matlala, which showed the bricks being weighed. He obtained the video from Matome "Falaz" Sefalafala, a Limpopo-based businessman who owed him over R2m for protection services. Nsizwane claimed he was not involved in any drug dealings and was only trying to help Sefalafala sell the product.
The video in question was sent to Matlala's business partner, Mike van Wyk, on April 6 last year. Matlala asked van Wyk to "get a good price" for the bricks, which were embossed with the brand Prestige. However, Matlala later claimed that the bricks were mining products and not cocaine. He insisted that he did not know what the bricks were, but Nsizwane had told him they were mining products. Matlala mentioned that mining minerals like gold, platinum, and rhodium can come in brick form.
Commissioners Sandile Khumalo and Sesi Baloyi were skeptical of Matlala's claims. They pointed out that it did not make sense for Matlala to ask for a good price without knowing what the product was. Commissioner Baloyi told Matlala that he had to have a base to know what a good price is. Matlala claimed he was doing Nsizwane a favour by asking around for potential buyers interested in the "mineral".
Nsizwane's testimony revealed that Sefalafala had asked him to find a buyer for the product so that he could pay his debt. Nsizwane sent the video to different people in the mining industry, but they were all unfamiliar with the product. He then sent it to Matlala, who also did not know what it was. Nsizwane claimed that he had given all the information he had to the commission.
Sefalafala, the businessman who owed Nsizwane money, has been charged with kidnapping and extortion. In 2020, he was accused of hiring two police officers to kidnap former Lepelle Northern Water Board acting CEO Ahuiwi Netshidaulu and extort R2.9m from him. One of the police officers, David Mkhabela, has since died, while the other, Gideon Matlala, is charged alongside Sefalafala.
The Madlanga commission has established that Booysens police seized white bricks branded with the word "Prestige", which were found to be cocaine. However, Matlala continued to claim that the bricks were mining products. Nsizwane maintained that he was not involved in any drug dealings and was only trying to help Sefalafala.
The commission will continue to investigate the matter. Nsizwane's testimony has shed more light on the events surrounding the video of the white bricks. The case has raised questions about the involvement of certain individuals in possible drug dealings.
Key points
- The Madlanga commission is investigating the involvement of Vusimusi "Cat" Matlala and others in possible drug dealings.
- Smangaliso Nsizwane claims he did not know what the white bricks in the video were.
- Commissioners are skeptical of Matlala's claims that the bricks were mining products.
