“I do not have an Eswatini ID.”

This statement was made by suspected criminal mastermind Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala who this week took the hot seat before the South African Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee. The committee probing allegations of police corruption is sitting at Kgosi Mampuru Prison, where Matlala is awaiting trial. The committee is chaired by Soviet Lekganyane.

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Matlala’s appearance followed threats from his legal team to interdict his much anticipated hearing. Matlala is answering to allegations that he influenced police operations.

During his appearance before the Ad Hoc Committee aired across South African media, Matlala blatantly denied holding an Eswatini identification card despite acknowledging that he was aware that there was evidence pointing out that he had the document.

When informed that there were documents the committee was in possession of that had WhatsApp exchanges between him and businessman Brown Mogotsi, he said he would only acknowledge some of the communications while insisting that he did not know some of those presented in the evidence.

“I also have WhatsApp communications with my wife so why is it not saying Dlamini and only saying Dlamini when I am communicating with Mogotsi,” argued Matlala.

When responding to questions posed by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) founder and leader Julius Malema, Matlala maintained his stance on not holding an Eswatini ID.

He confirmed though his visit to Eswatini. When Malema enquired about the purpose of his visit, Matlala alleged that he was invited to the king’s birthday and came into the country through Ngwenya Border Post.

Local print media reported that a fraudulent passport allegedly belonging to Matlala indicated that he entered Eswatini twice, crossing the border on foot under the name of Dlamini and had not returned to South Africa.

It was also reported that the passport linked to Matlala showed that he travelled to Eswatini on February 11, 2024 and returned the following day. It also indicated that on April 19, 2024 he crossed into Eswatini on foot with no record of his return to SA.

Malema further enquired about the ID which had Matlala’s picture and an ID number similar to his and he maintained that he did not have an Eswatini ID. “I do not have it, that was fabricated so they could deny me bail,” he insisted.

He alleged that during his bail application it was stated that he travelled to Eswatini using the ID, which he said was impossible because one could not cross a border using an ID because it was not a travelling document.

He also added that on his return to South Africa his passport was not stamped at the border post.

“I was told that I have access to get in and out of the country undetected. My wife’s passport, my bodyguard’s passports and mine were not stamped on our return and I think it was an oversight from the home affairs,” he added.

When questioned whether he had any relatives by the surname of Dlamini in Eswatini, Matlala said only his grandmother was a Dlamini and not from Eswatini but from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

EFF member Leigh-Ann Mathys enquired if Matlala was afforded special treatment when crossing the border during his visit to Eswatini, he said it may have been an oversight from the immigration staff at the border.

Mathys did not believe the response and enquired if he personally went through border control or had someone do it for him while he stood aside.

In response, Matlala said he remained inside the car and his bodyguards took all their passports and handed them over to the immigration officials.

“Of course they wanted to see our faces first and match them to our passports before stamping them. I do not know what happened in this case,” he said. He added that his passport was stamped when he came into Eswatini but not on his return to South Africa.

This was not the first time Matlala denied holding an Eswatini ID. During his bail application, Matlala’s legal representatives disputed the claim that he possessed a fraudulent Eswatini national identity document.

The Eswatini ID was part of the State’s arguments to oppose his bail, citing concerns about his access to assets and potential flight risk, but his lawyers countered that there was no conclusive evidence to support the allegations.

As part of the prosecution’s case to oppose bail, the State alleged that Matlala possessed a fraudulent Eswatini national identity document. The dispute over the ID was part of a larger bail application hearing at the Johannesburg High Court, where the State also raised concerns about Matlala’s access to a private jet and offshore assets.

Matlala is facing allegations of identity fraud in Eswatini. He is accused of using a false Eswatini national ID under the name Vusimuzi Dlamini, which raised significant concerns about the integrity of the civil registry process.

Meanwhile, Matlala’s possession of an Eswatini ID led to an official probe instituted by the ministry of home affairs and the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS).

Nonhlanhla granted E5 000 bail for Matlala ID saga

Assistant Regional Civil Registrar Nonhlanhla Malambe, an employee of the ministry of home affairs, has been granted E5 000 bail after appearing at the Mbabane Magistrate’s Court on allegations linked to the controversial issuance of an Eswatini national identity card to South African businessman Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala.

Malambe (47) of Mbasheni appeared before Magistrate Xolile Nxumalo charged with contravening Section 42(1)(b) read with Section 42(1)(b)(iii) of the Prevention of Corruption Act No. 3 of 2006.

According to the charge sheet, on February 12, 2024, at or near Mbabane and Ezulwini in the Hhohho region, the accused acting individually or jointly did unlawfully, directly or indirectly give or offer to give Matlala, an adult South African male, the advantage of producing and issuing a Kingdom of Eswatini birth certificate, specifically file 7505282100465, for the benefit of Matlala or any other person.

The State alleges that Malambe, acting in her official capacity as a ministry of home affairs employee, carried out the acts in a manner that amounted to abuse of authority, breach of trust, or a violation of her legal duties.

On count two, Malambe was charged with contravening Section 42(1)(b) read with Section 42(1)(b)(i). It is alleged that on the same date, she unlawfully facilitated the issuance of a Kingdom of Eswatini national identity number 7605086300365 in favour of Matlala. The Crown argues that this constituted a corrupt advantage and manipulation of the national civil registry system.

When advised of her right to legal representation, Malambe elected to instruct an attorney. She proceeded to apply for bail, which the court granted at E5 000, with standard bail conditions, including an order not to interfere with Crown witnesses directly or indirectly.

Malambe is currently serving a three-month suspension imposed by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) pending investigations into the same matter.

Her arrest coincides with heightened scrutiny in South Africa, where Matlala was summoned before a Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee probing corruption within the South African Police Service (SAPS), with his name featuring prominently.

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