Durban — The controversy surrounding firearms discovered at a Durban property linked to businesswoman Shawn “MaMkhize” Mkhize has taken a new turn. According to DA parliamentary police committee chairperson Ian Cameron, the weapons belong to businessman Vusi Xaba — not to Vusi Matlala, a figure previously accused of criminal activity by law enforcement officials.

Cameron clarified an earlier statement in which he incorrectly named Matlala as the owner of the weapons. The initial claim caused public alarm due to Matlala’s alleged — but not court-confirmed — links to organized crime.

“I can confirm that it was a slip-up with the name, and the guns did, in fact, belong to Vusi Xaba and not Matlala,” Cameron told IOL. “While the ownership of the firearms was legal, their storage was not.”

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It’s important to note that Cameron’s clarification has not been independently verified by the South African Police Service (SAPS). The confirmation of firearm ownership currently rests on Cameron’s revised public statement.

Shawn, MaMkhize’s legal team has responded firmly to the situation.

Shawn Mkhize’s attorney, Mpho Nefuri, issued a letter of demand to Cameron, giving him 48 hours to retract the allegations and issue a public apology. The letter, seen by IOL, accuses Cameron of damaging Mkhize’s reputation by linking her to criminal activity without factual or legal backing.

“My client’s name was erroneously dragged into a criminal narrative involving SAPS and an individual she has never met,” said Nefuri. “There has been no confirmation from the police that any laws were broken in relation to the arms, and linking Shawn’s name to such matters is damaging and unacceptable.”

The legal notice emphasizes Cameron’s responsibility as a public official to ensure factual accuracy in statements made to Parliament and the media. It demands a formal retraction and a public apology, both in Parliament and through the same media channels that carried the original remarks.

The mix-up occurred amid ongoing national attention on claims of corruption and criminal infiltration within law enforcement. Over the weekend, KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi made sensational allegations implicating senior officials and politicians. Mkhwanazi claimed that former police minister Senzo Mchunu has links to Matlala, who is reportedly under investigation for organized crime and corruption, according to sources within the police service.

While Cameron has told IOL that he intends to correct his earlier error regarding Matlala, he continues to assert that the way the weapons were stored violated South African law.

As the matter continues to unfold, legal and political circles remain on edge over the broader implications of this case — and the reputational fallout it may cause.

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