Mchunu dismisses suggestions he planned to dine with Mogotsi, Matlala

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has dismissed suggestions that he asked controversial businessmen Brown Mogotsi and Vusimuzi Matlala to arrange a dinner in Cape Town in January.

In fact, Mchunu said he wasn’t even in Cape Town on the weekend of the African National Congress (ANC)'s birthday celebrations, stating he was travelling to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) to attend a funeral.

On the third day of testimony before Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigation into political interference and corruption within the police, Mchunu said he’s never had any dealings with either of these men and has never even met Matlala.

ALSO READ: Parly refuses to accept Mchunu's claim that Mkhwanazi threatened him

Evidence leader Norman Arendse said the ad hoc committee has a witness lined up that will testify that murder-accused Vusimuzi Matlala is funding Senzo Mchunu’s alleged ambitions to become the next president or deputyof the ANC.

But Mchunu responded it was all a surprise to him.

“I have never had any discussion with anyone, Brown Magotsi to be exact, for any dinner, anywhere about any contribution anywhere, and so on,” Mchunu testified.

Mchunu said after participating in the ANC’s birthday week in George, he left Cape Town on the evening of the eighth of January, travelling to Eshowe for a funeral.

“I deny, with evidence, that I had anything to do with that dinner said to be sponsored by Matlala, nor did I ask him directly or indirectly to organise any dinner,” Mchunu added.

Mchunu has denied claims that he had benefited financially from Matlala and says his detractors have failed to provide proof of what he may have received.