Hawks head Senona defends ties with ‘Cat’ Matlala at Madlanga Commission
At the Madlanga Commission, Hawks head Maj-Gen. Lesetja Senona defends his relationship with Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala, firmly denying allegations of corruption and asserting his son's independence. Stay tuned for more updates!
Image: Oupa Mokoena/Independent Newspapers
KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Major-General Lesetja Senona has defended his relationship with alleged tender tycoon Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, rejecting accusations that personal ties were leveraged to secure lucrative state contracts or benefit his son, Thato Senona.
During his testimony at the Madlanga Commission on Tuesday, Senona sought to clarify the nature of his interactions with Matlala, insisting they were purely social and unrelated to his official role as the provincial head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI).
Senona faces allegations of abusing his senior position to assist Matlala in securing government tenders, including a R360-million SAPS healthcare contract awarded to Matlala’s company, Medicare24, as well as a separate property venture allegedly involving his son.
He dismissed these accusations as "unfounded and unsupported by evidence."
"I have never used my position or influence to secure any commercial opportunities for my son through Mr Matlala, nor have I abused my power or benefited him in any way," added Senona
Furthermore, he denied having any financial interest, direct or indirect, in Matlala’s businesses.
"I wish to state that I have no financial interest in any of Mr Matlala’s business operations, whether involving my son or any other individual," he added
Senona emphasised that his 33-year-old son is an independent adult, a family man, and a private citizen entitled to conduct business lawfully.
"My son is not an extension of me," he said. "His business dealings cannot and should not be imputed to me as a parent or as Provincial Head of the DPCI, particularly where such business is above board."
He revealed that he only became aware of any interaction between Thato Senona and Matlala in late 2024, when Matlala casually asked whether he knew a “Thato Senona.”
"After I confirmed he was my son, Mr Matlala indicated that Thato had approached him with a business proposal related to property," Senona testified.
Although he acknowledged receiving screenshots from Matlala in February 2025 regarding a proposed property purchase in Pretoria, he clarified that his response, which included an emoji with a “thanks” message, reflected nothing more than parental goodwill.
"My interest did not go beyond that of a supportive parent," he said.
Under questioning about his personal relationship with Matlala, Senona admitted that the two had formed a close bond after meeting at his traditional wedding in 2019, and that Matlala later attended his own traditional wedding.
He described their relationship as "brotherly" but maintained that it never crossed into professional or operational matters.
Senona is expected to continue his testimony when the commission resumes on Wednesday.