Brown Mogotsi, a self-proclaimed political fixer and businessman, was arrested on Friday following his appearance at the Madlanga Commission in Pretoria. Mogotsi was taken into custody for defeating the ends of justice, stemming from a November 2025 shooting he allegedly staged in Vosloorus, and later reported that there was an attempt on his life.
According to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, a SAPS multidisciplinary team executed a J50 warrant of arrest and arrested Mogotsi. Reliable information indicates that Mogotsi also faces charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of ammunition, and discharging a firearm within a municipal area.
Mogotsi’s Troubled Past
Mogotsi, at the time of the incident, alleged he was shot at while driving his vehicle in Vosloorus, and was followed from BP Garage Spruitview by an unknown male driving a white bakkie. His vehicle was riddled with multiple bullet holes, with several 9mm cartridges found at the crime scene. Preliminary investigations revealed that the firearm used in the commission of the crime had also been linked to other serious and violent crimes, including cases of murder and attempted murder.
As noted on the South African Police Service website, the firearm was linked to a 2021 murder and two attempted murders in Eldorado Park, where 18 cartridges were found at the scene. The gun was also linked to an attempted murder, attempted hijacking and robbery with aggravating circumstances case that took place in Roodepoort in 2020.
Mogotsi’s Allegations and Recusal Application
Mogotsi is a central figure in allegations of corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system, which the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry is probing. When he appeared before the commission on Friday, he attempted to have evidence leader advocate Matthew Chaskalson recuse himself from proceedings. He accused Chaskalson of inducing him to give false evidence against North West businessman Sullieman Carrim.
However, his recusal application fell flat after the commission heard that Mogotsi altered WhatsApp conversations between him and Chaskalson, allegedly deleting messages and call records submitted as evidence. The commission heard how Mogotsi curated the WhatsApp conversation for the record, but presented it to look genuine and complete.
- Mogotsi’s advocate, Nthabiseng Mohomane, conceded it was Mogotsi who had approached Chaskalson, offering information about Carrim.
- The commission’s chairperson, retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, dismissed the recusal application and said reasons would be provided either next week or the week thereafter.
For more information on the Madlanga Commission, visit the Judiciary of South Africa website.
