As the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry peels back the layers of the R360 million Medicare 24 scandal, a name keeps emerging from the shadows: The Big Five. But this isn’t a conservation group. It is a sophisticated criminal enterprise that has successfully “captured” key sectors of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the political sphere.
What is the “Big Five” Cartel?
The “Big Five” is an organized crime syndicate based primarily in Gauteng but with a national footprint. Unlike traditional gangs, they operate as a hybrid entity: part legitimate business conglomerate, part violent underworld mafia.
According to testimony from Crime Intelligence boss Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo, the cartel’s “primary commodity” is drug trafficking, but they use government tenders to launder money and provide a “clean” front for their operations.
Who are the Key Figures in the “Big Five”?
While the full list of members is still being ventilated in court, investigators have identified these central pillars:
- Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala: The “Tender Don.” A Pretoria businessman and owner of Cat VIP Protection. He is alleged to be the chief architect of the SAPS infiltration.
- Katiso “KT” Molefe: The “Enforcer.” Linked to multiple high-profile contract killings and drug shipments.
- The Late Jonathan “King Mswazi” Msibi: A former Pretoria taxi boss identified as the cartel’s original “President” before his death in 2024.
- Brown Mogotsi: A well-connected businessman and “political facilitator” who allegedly funneled cartel money into political party events to buy influence.
- Suliman Carrim: Described as a “fixer” who specialized in navigating the bureaucracy of state procurement to ensure the cartel’s companies won bids.
How the State Capture Playbook Operates
The Big Five doesn’t just bribe officials; they embed themselves into the system using a three-step strategy:
- Entry-Level Recruitment: The cartel allegedly recruits junior police and procurement officials early in their careers, helping them get promoted into “sensitive” positions (like Supply Chain Management) where they can eventually influence billion-rand tenders.
- Political Bankrolling: Testimony suggests the cartel acts as a “private ATM” for certain political factions, paying for luxury travel, event expenses, and “retainers” (allegedly up to R1 million a month) to ensure that investigations into their activities are “misplaced” or shut down.
- The Private Security Front: By owning private security firms, the cartel gains legal access to high-caliber firearms and tactical gear, essentially creating a “private militia” that can be used for contract killings or to intimidate rivals.
The Violent Underworld Beyond Tenders
The Medicare 24 tender is just the tip of the iceberg.
The Big Five has been linked by investigators to:
- The Tembisa Hospital Scandal: The late whistleblower Babita Deokaran was investigating several companies linked to Matlala before her assassination in 2021.
- Inside Jobs: The theft of 541kg of cocaine from a Hawks storage facility in Port Shepstone has been flagged as a potential “inside job” facilitated by cartel-aligned officers.
- Strategic Disbandments: It is alleged that the 2024 disbandment of the KZN Political Killings Task Team was a direct instruction from cartel-influenced “high-ups” to protect their hitmen.