McKenzie rejected claims from police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who referenced a prison inmate’s letter alleging the minister’s involvement in drug networks and a suspicious transfer. The letter, described as hearsay, came from Jermaine Prim citing convict Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala, a key ‘Big Five’ figure facing murder and extortion charges.
McKenzie expressed disappointment in Mkhwanazi for not verifying the information first, while his Patriotic Alliance party called the accusations baseless amid ongoing probes into police corruption. No formal charges connect McKenzie to the syndicate, and he urges focus on verified facts.
"I don't know Vusimuzi cat Matlala, I don't know KT I don't know what's his surname now. I don't know these people. I don't know this big five guys I've never met them" PA President Gayton McKenzie
"I was very disappointed in the general (Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi) because I really… pic.twitter.com/FkaqpcqoMd
— News Live SA (@newslivesa) March 22, 2026