Sergeant Cites Human Error After Omitting Deputy President Paul Mashatile From Official Madlanga Commission Testimony

Sergeant Fannie Nkosi tells the Madlanga Commission that omitting Deputy President Paul Mashatile from his testimony regarding Cat Matlala was a human error.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 23, 2026, 6:46 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from EyeWitness News

The Omission of High Level Political Connections

During a pivotal session of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on March 23, 2026, Sergeant Fannie Nkosi of the Gauteng Organised Crime Unit addressed a significant gap in his prior testimony. According to Nkosi, he neglected to mention a purported connection between businessman Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala and Deputy President Paul Mashatile in his earlier oral and written statements. The officer characterized this exclusion as a simple human error, rather than a deliberate attempt to shield the country’s second in command from public or legal scrutiny.

The Urgent Request for a Black Credit Card

The testimony centered on a handwritten statement Nkosi made following a police raid on his own home in October of the previous year. Investigators had been searching for a black credit card belonging to Matlala that was in the sergeant's possession. Nkosi testified that Matlala had contacted him with a sense of urgency, claiming he needed the financial instrument back immediately because he was scheduled to meet with Mashatile and the Deputy National Police Commissioner, Shadrack Sibiya.

Denials of Political Protectionism

Under questioning regarding the delayed disclosure, Nkosi maintained that his failure to include these names in his official commission dossier was unintentional. According to Nkosi, the information regarding the meeting was based solely on what he had been told by Matlala at the time of their communication. He further asserted that he had no personal knowledge regarding the specific nature of the alleged meeting, nor could he confirm if the gathering between the businessman and the Deputy President ever actually took place.