MBABANE – A team of police investigators has been put in place to investigate how Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala acquired Eswatini identity documents.
The team of investigators was assembled after the National Commissioner (NATCOM) of Police, Vusi Manoma Masango, received communication from his South African counterparts confirming that Matlala possessed local documents issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Masango confirmed the establishment of the team and asserted that he was the recipient of correspondence affirming that the prominent businessman accused of orchestrating a network of corruption, fraud and violence in South Africa, holds an Eswatini identity (ID) document.
Masango said: “It is standard practice that when a criminal is said to possess national documents of a particular country, an investigation ensues to establish the truthfulness of that allegation and further take to task those who participated in that act.”
He said as there are allegations insinuating that Matlala possess such documents, a team of investigators has been assigned to probe the matter; more so, because it touches on the sovereignty of Eswatini.
“The reputation of the country is important and it cannot be allowed that criminals take advantage of it. We can’t let criminals have a field day in Eswatini. They should know that they will be arrested.”
He reiterated that the South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed to him that Matlala possessed an Eswatini ID and as per their confirmation, it was automatic for the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) to investigate the matter.
Last week, an investigation by the Times of Eswatini uncovered that the Eswatini ID was issued under mysterious circumstances.
The Ministry of Home Affairs’ civil registry lists a man with attributes identical to Matlala as Vusimuzi Dlamini, a resident of Motshane, with ID number 7605286100###.
‘Dlamini’ is registered as the second-born son of Christinah Thembi Shongwe, a housewife from Motshane. However, authorities are baffled as Shongwe’s actual second-born child is not Vusimuzi, making his registration a mystery. His father is not listed.
Matlala’s picture in the Eswatini national ID resembles the one widely circulating in South African media showing a light-skinned, bearded face and with a clean-shaven head. The implication is also that the Eswatini ID was not taken very long ago.
To obtain an Eswatini national ID, one typically requires an unabridged birth certificate proving both parents are emaSwati, or for foreigners, a rigorous application process including residency, good character, economic self-sufficiency and community acceptance. Matlala’s purported ID raises significant questions about this process.
‘Dlamini’ is said to be a resident of Motshane as per the records held by the Ministry of Home Affairs; which is a rural chiefdom 15 kilometres north of the capital city, Mbabane.
It is worth mentioning that Christinah, the woman registered as the mother of ‘Vusimuzi’, denied any maternal link to him in an earlier interview with this publication. Despite Matlala being registered as Shongwe’s second-born child in the citizens’ registry of Home Affairs, she insists her second-born child is not Vusimuzi. She clarified that her second-born child is a girl named Vuyisile Shongwe.
Meanwhile, residents of Motshane have strongly denied that Matlala, who is accused of orchestrating a network of corruption, fraud and violence in South Africa, is a member of their community.
This publication conducted random interviews to verify earlier information linking Matlala to a family at Motshane. Christinah disowned Matlala, asserting that she was a victim of identity theft after her national ID card was temporarily lost for three months in 2024.
Sidumo, a lifelong resident of Motshane, said: “I had never seen or heard of Matlala until his story broke in the media. I heard in the media that he called himself a Dlamini in Eswatini, but I have never seen him at all. I saw his pictures and tried to recall, but still failed to connect him with this area. Perhaps others know him.”
Similarly, Sibusiso Nhlengetfwa expressed doubts about Matlala being a Motshane resident, given his absence from the area: “I was born and went to school here, but never heard of him. The police should launch a full investigation into the matter so that Motshane can be cleared of having raised such a man.”
Wakhile Ginindza suggested that the South African Police Service and General Mkhwanazi should visit the area and conduct their own investigations to uncover the truth: “I started following his case after the Times revealed that he may have links to the area. I believe he may have manipulated people to obtain our ID. I have never seen him around here, yet I was born and raised in this area.”
Zodwa Dlamini recounted their initial assumption when the story first appeared in the newspaper:
“When the issue was reported in the newspaper, we initially assumed it was another Vusi Dlamini who is a resident. However, when we heard that Matlala is incarcerated, we were relieved. We truly do not know where this Matlala, who was registered in Eswatini as Dlamini, comes from.”
One resident, who chose to remain anonymous, mentioned hearing that someone with Matlala’s characteristics used to reside at Ekupheleni decades ago.
“I may not be sure if the person arrested in South Africa is the one I am referring to. He was unpleasant and always dressed smartly. His mother used to work in South Africa and no one knew who his father was. However, the mother is deceased. If Matlala is that man, I will not be surprised,” he said.
However, Comfort Maseko, a veteran resident of Ekupheleni, refuted this claim and said: “No such resident had ever lived in the area. Given that some residents work in South Africa, we sometimes have people looking for their family members, but we have never heard of Matlala.” When journalists showed him a picture of Matlala, he maintained that such a person had never lived in the area. “It is only now that we have seen a proliferation of homes in this area. We used to be a small village, where we knew each other. I have never heard of this man,” he added.
Edward Masuku and another individual who insisted on being referred to as Mister Cinzi also said they had never heard of Matlala or Vusimuzi: “When the issue was exposed in the Times, people were discussing it in circles. One said he knew him, while others insisted he was not from the area. I personally had never heard of him until his story was in the papers,” Masuku said.
One of the community elders, Jim Shongwe, also confirmed that he had never heard of Matlala.
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