South African Police Corruption Exposed

When a cartel owns the police, the law becomes the most effective tool for committing crimes. Criminals do not always dodge the police to stay out of prison. Instead, high-ranking officers use their badges to clear the road for drug shipments. They do not block them. This setup changes the national security system into a private security force for the highest bidder. The South African police service runs on a business model where the state pays the salaries of the people who destroy it. Investigations into the "Big Five" cartel reveal that criminal influence reaches beyond the edges of the government and sits at the very center of the table. 

Criminals usually run from the police. In this case, they sit in the front seat of the patrol car. According to a report by Al Jazeera, Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi held a press conference on July 6, 2025, that changed the national conversation. He avoided talk of a few bad apples in the force. Instead, he leveled allegations of systemic corruption that pointed to a total takeover of state functions. Mkhwanazi claimed that this corruption reaches all the way to the country's police minister. He described the situation as a form of terrorism. These actors seek to control the country through lawbreaking instead of winning elections. 

Confronting the Reality of Police Corruption 

The weight of these claims rests on the scale of the infiltration. When the people responsible for catching murderers plan the hits, the justice system stops working. A deliberate choice to trade public safety for private profit drives this situation. It does not stem from a lack of resources or poor training. According to a statement from The Presidency, President Cyril Ramaphosa established the Madlanga Commission in July 2025 to investigate allegations regarding law enforcement and criminality. This body now holds the task of finding out how deep the rot goes. Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi expressed a grim readiness for combat. He stated his refusal to retreat, even if he loses his life for his police badge. His stance highlights the internal war within the South African Police Service (SAPS). While some officers fight to maintain order, others protect the "Big Five" cartel. This cartel manages contract killings, kidnappings, and hijackings with professional precision. 

The Rise of the Big Five Cartel 

The Big Five cartel operates like a shadow government. Research published in The Mail & Guardian notes that Lt-Gen Khumalo identified this group as a sophisticated organized crime network led by a man named Matlala. Witness C claimed this group holds influence over every government department. Their reach extends beyond local police stations into the halls of executive power. They do not just bribe officials; they integrate their people into the state structure. The core operations of the Big Five involve narcotics and violence. They use their connections to ensure that drug shipments move through ports without inspection. If a rival group interferes, the cartel uses its contract killing arm to remove the obstacle. This makes the law a weapon used against anyone who threatens the cartel's profits. 

The Result of Systemic Infiltration 

Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo supports the claim that the Big Five has entered the political sphere. He points to documented links between known criminals and political leaders. This infiltration stops honest investigations. When a detective finds evidence, their superior might have ordered the crime. This leads to institutional paralysis. The criminal justice system ignores solving crimes for the public. Instead, it protects the "Big Five." This ensures that the biggest players never see a courtroom, while the police focus on low-level offenders to seem productive. 

The Legislative Fight Against Police Corruption 

Official inquiries often delay the truth. They do not reveal it. President Cyril Ramaphosa established the Madlanga Commission in July 2025 to address growing infiltration claims. However, corruption grows while the public waits for a final report. The commission held its first hearings on September 17, 2025, but the cartel’s influence persists. A media statement from the Parliament of South Africa confirmed that a Parliamentary ad hoc committee launched its own hearings in October 2025.  

The committee began hearings with its first witness, Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi, on October 7. While more eyes on the problem might help, it often leads to conflicting reports. Vincent Magwenya, speaking for the President, argued against relying on interim reports. He prioritized national security, though critics see this as a delay tactic. As reported by Business Day, the inquiry operates on a six-month mandate with an interim report due after three months. During this time, high-profile names surface in testimony. These findings could dismantle the political landscape. If the commission proves that the cartel holds the strings of the police service, the government loses legitimacy. 

The Role of Presidential Inaction 

Executive inaction remains a major problem. Critics argue that the President relies on slow-moving commissions while the cartel grows stronger. Every day the commission deliberates, the Big Five move their assets and silence witnesses. The tension between transparency and national security often shields the corrupt. The government labels certain findings as "sensitive" and keeps damning evidence away from the public. This tactic stops a national reckoning and keeps corruption in place. 

The Mandate of the Madlanga Commission 

The Commission must prove that the state can still investigate itself. Success depends on protecting members from the cartel. A failure to produce an actionable report will confirm that the cartel is untouchable. Witnesses face extreme risks. The commission must provide a safe space for the truth. In a country with compromised police, safety remains rare. The outcome of these hearings will determine if South Africa can reclaim its police force. 

The Case of Vusimusi Cat Matlala 

A security business owner bridges the gap between a dirty politician's wallet and a cartel's bank account. Vusimusi "Cat" Matlala is a central figure in the investigation. Matlala has a 2001 conviction for stolen goods. By 2017, he owned a security business to provide a front for his connections. The allegations against Matlala involve bribes and political payoffs. He faced 25 different criminal charges but remained a key political player.  

As reported by eNCA, Matlala claimed he paid R500,000 to Bheki Cele in two cash payments. Cele allegedly requested a total of R1 million to help certain business interests. Matlala acted as a middleman who sent money from criminal groups into political campaigns to buy protection for his associates. This shows how criminal money buys political influence. While Matlala denies personal ties, he admitted to making ANC-related payments through third parties. This shows the thin line between crime and political funding. 

The Denial of Bheki Cele 

Bheki Cele denies these claims. He maintains that he has no history of such indictments. The contradiction between Matlala’s claims and Cele’s denials creates a credibility gap. If Matlala tells the truth, then the top of the police structure is compromised. The controversy includes claims of penthouse stays for Cele. These perks show how cartels buy officials. Favors lead to million-rand bribes. This grooms officials so they cannot say no when major crimes occur. 

Matlala’s Criminal History and Business 

Matlala’s shift from a convicted criminal to a security business owner is common for those seeking to exploit the system. A security company allows for guns and "muscle." This provides a private army under a legal business name. The 25 criminal charges against him suggest immunity. In a working system, a person with that record would not know ministers. His value to the elite outweighed his criminal past. 

The Death of a Witness 

Killing a witness sends a signal to others. Marius van der Merwe, known as Witness D, owned a QRF Task Team. He had proof of a rogue police unit. According to a report from The Presidency, assailants shot him multiple times outside his Brakpan home on December 5, 2025. His death came days after he testified against Brig Julius Mkhwanazi. Van der Merwe claimed that Julius Mkhwanazi led a corrupt rogue unit. He alleged he had to help dispose of bodies. His murder silenced a man who knew the truth. Assailants murdered him to stop his testimony about police involvement in organized crime. His death shows that the cartel uses violence to protect high-ranking police allies. This murder warns anyone else who thinks of helping the Madlanga Commission. 

The Refusal of Witness Protection 

Van der Merwe refused official witness protection. He relied on private security. He did not trust the state to protect him. He knew his guards might be his killers. When a witness prefers private security over the police, the state has failed. His murder justifies his fears. The cartel finds anyone because they have police databases. 

The Rogue Unit Allegations 

Van der Merwe’s testimony described a police force within a police force. This rogue unit, allegedly led by Julius Mkhwanazi, performed tasks for the cartel. These tasks included cleaning crime scenes and destroying evidence. Julius Mkhwanazi denies these claims. He calls the allegations a smear campaign. However, the timing of the murder makes the denial weak. If the testimony was false, the cartel would not need to kill the witness. 

The R200m Cocaine Theft and Inside Jobs 

Load shedding allows the state to rob itself. According to News24, the Hawks are investigating the theft of cocaine worth more than R200 million from their Port Shepstone offices. The burglary happened during a power outage which disabled security systems. The thieves knew where the drugs were. Investigators suspect an inside job. Only someone with knowledge of the building and the power schedule could pull this off. This shows that police facilities are not safe. South Africa ranks fifth globally on the crime index. The theft of drugs from a police station reinforces this ranking. It shows a lack of control over criminal assets. 

The Retaliation of the Cartel 

The theft of narcotics leads to violence. Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi noted that lethal retaliation follows when criminal groups steal from each other. This likely happened with DJs Buthelezi and Sefoka. Both died in killings linked to the stolen cocaine. Losing evidence sparks a gang war. The cartel views the loss as a betrayal. The "theft" might be an act of war between factions in the police force. 

The Failure of National Intelligence 

Kagiso Pooe pointed out that these incidents show a vulnerability in national intelligence. If the state cannot protect drugs in a Hawks office, it cannot protect anything. Criminals exploit these weaknesses daily. The state fails to address the use of load shedding as a cover for crime. The government failed to provide backup power to evidence rooms and effectively handed the keys to the cartel. This oversight shows gross incompetence or deliberate sabotage. 

State Sabotage and the Disbandment of Task Teams 

Disbanding a task team provides a clean getaway. Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi and Lt-Gen Khumalo argue that disbanding the Political Killing Task Team was an act of state sabotage. The PKTT investigated political assassinations. The state shut it down and made it harder to track how the cartel uses murder to influence elections. This move protected high-level figures and gave the cartel a green light for violence. Removing specialized units is a tactic in corruption. It replaces experts with generalists who are easier to intimidate. Breaking up a team resets the investigation. 

The AKA Murder Strategy 

The AKA murder investigation shows police tactics. Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi described a strategy of detaining suspects on unrelated charges while building the murder case. Some police still try to work effectively. Bheki Cele expressed doubt about the arrests made by Lt-Gen Sibiya. This bickering between officials confuses the public. It suggests political leadership may not support the police. 

Psychological Manipulation of the Public 

Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya accused Mkhwanazi of using psychological tactics to mislead the population. He claims people use corruption narratives to settle scores. This adds tension. If accusations of corruption are a tool for a corrupt faction, the truth is hard to find. The public does not know who to believe. The cartel wins when focus shifts. 

The Cost of a Compromised Justice System 

The average of 64 murders per day in South Africa shows a failing state. Police no longer deter crime. Criminals include the police in their budget. Corruption costs the price of an officer’s silence. The global crime index rank of 5th is a result of this failure. People lose faith when the law is for sale. The corruption rank of 82nd shows the world is watching. The murder of Armand Swart shows no sector is safe. The cartel’s tentacles are everywhere. They use murder to stop future testimony. 

The Preventative Power of Murder 

William Douglas stated that murder stops criminal proceedings. It closes the case. If there is no witness, there is no trial. The cartel uses this to keep power. The justice system depends on brave individuals. When witnesses die, the system collapses. The state’s failure to protect Marius van der Merwe is a failure of justice. 

Managing the National Security Narrative 

Managing "sensitivity" feels like an attempt to manage fallout. Vincent Magwenya’s warnings against public debate suggest a desire for control. The public has a right to know if a drug cartel bought the police. Transparency saves the state when security forces steal cocaine and kill witnesses. Prioritizing security over transparency only works if forces are secure. 

Reclaiming the Badge 

The battle against corruption is a fight for democracy. When the "Big Five" cartel controls the streets, the vote of a citizen carries less weight than a bribe. The current system allows a takeover of government departments. Reclaiming the police badge requires the removal of actors who turned the state against its people. If South Africa cannot separate its police from its cartels, the badge remains a tool for crime. The Madlanga Commission will either start a new period or end a lost cause.