KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Major General Lesetja Senona endured rigorous cross-examination at the Madlanga Commission on 29 January 2026. Evidence leader Advocate Adila Hassim presented WhatsApp messages showing Senona provided assistance to Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala beyond mere moral support. These included texts from 15 April 2025 urging Matlala to sue the South African Police Service (SAPS) over his terminated Medicare24 contract.

Hassim highlighted a message where Matlala asked Senona not to forget inquiring about "that lady who’s stirring problems," to which Senona responded with a thumbs-up. Senona explained this as simply noting the message and assumed the lady was Lieutenant General Lineo Nkhuoa, the divisional commissioner for HR handling contract payments. However, he struggled to recall who "our brother" referred to in the exchange, leading to accusations of evasiveness.

On 28 January 2026, the commission revealed Senona shared a SAPS docket related to alleged Mozambican kidnapper Esmael Nangy with Matlala. The docket, sent on 5 March 2025 after a meeting in Pretoria, contained personal details like identity numbers, cellphone numbers, and photos of six KZN Hawks members and Crime Intelligence officers. Senona claimed he sent it to warn Matlala about Nangy living in the same complex, according to testimony at the Madlanga Commission.

Background on Senona-Matlala Relationship and Implications

The Madlanga Commission is probing Senona's interactions with Matlala, who faces allegations in the R2.3-billion Tembisa Hospital scandal. Senona denied knowledge of Matlala's involvement, stating he only knew of whistleblower Babita Deokaran's murder on 23 August 2021 and the subsequent convictions in August 2023. Commissioners expressed skepticism, noting the scandal's national coverage.

Senona also forwarded a 13 May 2025 termination letter from National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola to Matlala, describing the end of the R360-million Medicare24 contract as "sad news." He encouraged Matlala to "take them on," referring to legal action against SAPS. This raised concerns about a senior officer supporting litigation against the state.

The inquiry has referred Senona for further investigation in its interim report. Next steps may include additional witness testimonies or formal charges, depending on the commission's final findings.

Senona's Response to Allegations

Senona insisted he was not evasive, telling commissioners on 29 January 2026, "I am not evasive. The issue that I’m afraid I’ll be in trouble, I am already in trouble."

He argued the thumbs-up signified acknowledgment, not agreement to act. Regarding the docket, he conceded it might have been an oversight not to review the full document before sharing.

Commissioners, including Advocate Sandile Khumalo and Sesi Baloyi, criticized his explanations as insufficient, with Baloyi stating, "I find it very difficult to accept that there is an innocent explanation for sharing this bundle with Matlala." No further response from Matlala was mentioned in the proceedings.