By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider 

Mozambican kidnapping crime lord Esmael Nangy, has had his name featured in the Madlanga Commission on Wednesday. 

Leseja Senona, KwaZulu-Natal Hawks boss, gave his testimony at the Madlanga Commission yesterday and testified that Nangy and Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala live in the same luxury estate in Centurion. Nangy has additionally been arrested in South Africa as he has been linked to various cases of kidnapping-for ransom. 

Nangy was also arrested in 2024 as he was linked to kidnapping businessman Zakariyya Desai. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) had dropped three of his charges and released him in January 2025 without any clarity on why this decision was made. 

Nangy then named KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in a civil claim that he filed last year regarding his arrest. He accused six police officers, including Mkhwanazi, of kidnapping, extortion, and theft. 

The authorities have been working to search and apprehend Nangy but have remained unsuccessful in their pursuit. According to reports from EWN as well as reports from the police the case against Nangy had brought tension between Mkhwanazi and Shadrack Sibiya, who served as Deputy National Police Commissioner. 

Meanwhile Senona in his testimony had admitted to having close links with Matlala for seven years and also expressed that he accompanied Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to Matlala’s plush apartment in Umhlanga, Durban. 

Senona expressed that although he shares a close relationship with Matlala, he never assisted him in receiving South African Police Service (SAPS) contracts. Matlala was granted a R360 million SAPS health services contract in 2024 and Senona highlighted that he was never involved in that deal.