Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie says he does not know the alleged “Big Five” cartels, including murder accused Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala, after KZN police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi questioned what McKenzie knows about drug trafficking and related activities.The matter comes after an Ad Hoc Committee received a letter from inmate Jermaine Prim, who claims to have a voice recording linking McKenzie to drug dealers and illicit funds.
Speaking on his Facebook page over the weekend, McKenzie denied knowing Matlala or any of the alleged individuals.
“I don’t know Cat Matlala. I’ve never met Cat Matlala. I don’t know KT (referring to murder accused Katiso Molefe) . I don’t know what his surname is now.
“I don’t know these people. I don’t know these big five guys. I’ve never met them.”
“I’ve never had… I mean, for me to say that a photo can appear tomorrow, then I’ll be like a liar.
Matlala and Molefe have been named as part of the alleged “Big-Five” cartels, which is a group that is believed to be dealing in drug trafficking.
McKenzie, who is the minister of Sports, Arts and Culture insisted that he does not know “these people.”“You don’t know these people, but I can tell you… I believe I say it very well, you won’t believe it.
“So all of you… I want to make it clear. I was very disappointed in the general, because I really, really, really was a big fan of him. He should’ve known to test that information before he took it there,” he said.
McKenzie also claimed that Mkhwanazi did not contact him to question him on the matter.
“You don’t make such serious (allegations) .. I’m a member of an executive – of the executive branch of this country. Did they call me in to question me on that? But enjoy my name. Enjoy my name. I’m busy with elections. That’s all I’m going to say. Enjoy my name.”
Parliament’s ad hoc committee, which is investigating allegations made by Mkhwanazi, recently concluded its oral hearings, revealing several claims and new evidence.
During proceedings last week on Wednesday, uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party MP and committee member David Skosana questioned Mkhwanazi about allegations contained in Prim’s letter.Prim’s letter, which has not yet been published in full, refers to conversations he allegedly had with Matlala.
Prim claims he shared a prison cell with Matlala at Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Facility and detailed their discussions in the letter.
Mkhwanazi acknowledged that the letter constitutes hearsay evidence.
In it, Prim alleges he has a voice recording linking McKenzie to drug dealers and drug money.
Meanwhile, IOL News reported that PA deputy president Kenny Kunene dismissed the allegations on Friday, saying neither he nor McKenzie is involved in drugs.
Kunene said that during the 2019 by-elections, Prim’s mother was responsible for cooking for party volunteers but was removed after it was discovered that food and groceries were going missing.
“Jermaine (Prim), since then, has been insulting not only the president of the Patriotic Alliance, Gayton McKenzie and myself, but also our councillors, especially in Eldorado Park.”Kunene alleged that Prim has continued to send insulting WhatsApp messages from prison.
“I wanted to put it on record, Gayton McKenzie is not involved in drugs. I’m not involved in drugs. Jermaine has been in prison since then, and he then threatened the two councillors of the Patriotic Alliance in Ward 17 and 18.
“And with the evidence that they provided and escalated the matter to our president, Gayton McKenzie. McKenzie then informed the relevant authorities, wrote to the relevant authorities that Jermaine Prim has a cell phone in the cell, and he’s using this cell phone to send lies to WhatsApp groups on the outside,” Kunene said.
He said authorities later transferred Prim from Sun City Prison to C-Max prison.
“The authorities, with the evidence provided, decided to move Jermaine from Sun City Prison to C-Max prison. He was moved because he had a cell phone and he was making threats and spreading lies about Gayton McKenzie, our councillors, myself, and the Patriotic Alliance.
“We have ignored Jermaine because he’s nothing but a criminal who is in prison. We have not responded to any of his lies because the people that we lead know what we do, and they know that he’s a peddler of lies. He is seeking attention in prison,” Kunene said.
Kunene added that neither he nor McKenzie has ever met Prim and questioned the credibility of his claims.
“Yes, I have seen him at events, at functions of people, but I’ve never had a conversation with ‘Cat’ Matlala. However, now that he knows Matlala’s name is in the mix somewhere, he tries to make his lies that he peddles credible.
“McKenzie has not given Jermaine any drugs to sell in prison. McKenzie is successful and is rich from legitimate businesses,” Kunene said.
“We have grown this party ethically. We have grown this party by going to the ground and talking to the people.”
The ad hoc committee is expected to conclude its work by March 31 and report to the National Assembly.
Chairperson Soviet Lekganyane said evidence leaders will present an overview of the findings, after which the secretariat will compile a report for MPs to consider.