MBABANE – The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has heard that controversial South African businessman Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala was saved as Dlamini in the cellphones of his close associates.
Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo, the Commander of South Africa’s ground forces battling organised crime cartels, presented cellphone messages between Matlala and his contacts.
He noted that what stood out was how Matlala’s friends had stored his surname as Dlamini.
This revelation adds another layer to suspicions already raised in Eswatini about Matlala’s possession of national identity documents.
Last month, this publication broke the story that Matlala, who is facing corruption, money laundering and attempted murder charges in South Africa, holds an Eswatini national ID obtained under questionable circumstances.
The Ministry of Home Affairs’ civil registry shows a man with Matlala’s attributes registered as Vusumuzi Dlamini of Motshane in Eswatini.
According to the records, he is listed as the second-born son of Christinah Thembi Shongwe, a housewife from Motshane.
However, Shongwe’s actual second-born child is not Matlala, leaving authorities puzzled as to how his name appeared under her family profile. His father’s details are missing from the documents.
The Eswatini ID bears Matlala’s photograph – the same image widely circulated in South African media – raising questions about when and how it was issued.
National Commissioner of Police (NATCOM) Vusi Manoma Masango, recently told this publication that investigators were preparing to travel to South Africa to gather evidence about the authenticity of the documents.
He said the probe was ‘almost complete’ but required tactical support from South African law enforcement.
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