Hawks Head Senona Rejects ‘Big 5 Cartel’ Allegations at Madlanga Commission
- Hawks head Major-General Lesetja Senona has denied any links to the so-called Big 5 cartel, calling the allegations malicious and false
- He also rejected claims that he leaked classified information to Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, saying he does not even know of a cartel by that name
- Senona’s testimony comes as the Madlanga Commission probes wider claims of organised crime, corruption and witness intimidation in the police
Source: Twitter
PRETORIA- KZN Hawks head Major-General Lesetja Senona has strongly denied allegations that he is linked to the so-called “Big 5 cartel”, describing the claims as malicious and completely false.
Senona was testifying at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on 27 January 2026, after being implicated by SAPS Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo. Khumalo alleged that Senona had knowledge of, and had worked with, a criminal grouping referred to as the Big 5 cartel.
Senona denies knowledge of Big 5
In his testimony, Senona said he had received a subpoena indicating that Witnesses X and C had implicated him in a matter under investigation involving the improper use of his position. The allegations suggest he leaked sensitive and classified information to Vusi Matlala, who is a business partner of Senona’s son.
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“These allegations are malicious and void of truth. I deny leaking any information or using my role as provincial head to the benefit of Matlala or any so-called Big 5 cartel," Senona told the commission
Senona insisted he did not know any cartel operating under that name.
“Commissioners, I must say I don’t even know what the Big 5 cartel is,
“The only Big 5 that I know is in this country: elephant, lion, buffalo, rhino and leopard. This other Big 5, I do not know,” he said.
When further questioned about cartels more broadly, Senona said the only organised criminal groups he was familiar with were drug syndicates he had personally helped arrest in his province.
What is this Big 5 cartel?
KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi was among the first to speak on the so-called Big 5. He told Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee that crime intelligence officers had misused funds and pointed to the existence of powerful criminal syndicates often referred to as the Big 5 criminal cartel. He addressed allegations that the cartel’s influence extended into business and law enforcement, raising concerns about deep-rooted organised crime in South Africa. The safety of key witnesses was also questioned to the extent that one testified publicly that they felt they could be killed, leading to concerns about the protection of whistleblowers and the integrity of the inquiry.
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Further testimony by General Senona at Madlanga Commission
Briefly News reported that Major-General Lesetja Senona told the Madlanga Commission that he had forwarded the letter disbanding the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) to alleged criminal Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, saying he did so out of interest. Senona’s admission comes amid broader evidence and testimony at the commission about Matlala’s connections with senior police officials and allegations of interference in police operations.
Senona refused to answer whether alleged cartel figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala is related to his wife, despite confirming that his wife knows Matlala, and said he did not want to discuss the matter to avoid tension at home. Senona told the commission he first met Matlala at his traditional wedding in 2019 and considers him a brother, but declined to clarify any potential family ties.
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Source: Briefly News
