By Johnathan Paoli
Controversial businessman Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala has claimed that he may have been drugged or otherwise impaired when he gave investigators from the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry an account of alleged corruption involving former police deputy national commissioner Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya and other senior officials.
Matlala, who faces criminal charges linked to the R360-million South African Police Service (SAPS) health services tender, made the claims during a tense exchange with evidence leaders on Monday as he sought to distance himself from damaging allegations contained in a statement he gave to the Independent Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) and during consultations with the commission.
“Maybe I was drugged, I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t know what happened. But what I know is that I was not myself, I was sick and I even explained to you when you consulted me that I’m not in my right space of mind. If you can remember,” he said.
The exchange followed evidence leader Adila Hassim taking Matlala through notes recorded by commission representatives during consultations with him. The notes appeared to contradict his repeated assertions that IDAC investigators had fabricated substantial portions of his sworn statement.
Hassim read out notes recording that Matlala had told commission representatives that Sibiya encouraged him to pursue the SAPS health risk tender and subsequently claimed to have helped secure the contract.
According to the consultation notes, Matlala had admitted withdrawing R500,000 from two of his companies before allegedly taking the money to Sibiya’s property at Copperleaf Golf Estate.
The notes further recorded that Sibiya had introduced him to suspended SAPS supply chain management head Lieutenant-General Molefe Fani, whom he allegedly identified as someone who could assist with the contract.
Matlala denied making these claims, insisting that the evidence had been manufactured or incorrectly attributed to him.
Commissioner Sesi Baloyi pointed out that the account recorded during the commission’s consultation was substantially similar to the allegations contained in his IDAC statement.
She argued that the consistency between the two accounts made it difficult to accept Matlala’s explanation that investigators had invented the allegations.
Hassim pressed Matlala on the apparent contradictions, with the businessman eventually suggesting that his medication might have affected his ability to recall what he had said.
Earlier, Matlala told the commission that his Section 204 witness statement to IDAC had not been drafted by him and that investigators had pressured him into signing it.
He claimed IDAC officials had arrested him and told him they were pursuing National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, crime intelligence head Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo and KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Matlala alleged that investigators subsequently took him to the Sheraton Hotel at about 2am and later to a McDonald’s restaurant near Kgosi Mampuru II prison, where he was being held.
He claimed they wanted him to contact former KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Major-General Lesetja Senona to obtain information about the senior police officials.
Matlala further alleged that investigators threatened him with lengthy imprisonment if he refused to cooperate, saying he had resisted signing the statement for about a month.
He also claimed that he had not properly read the preamble outlining his rights and obligations as a potential Section 204 witness.
However, Hassim took him through the statement and sought confirmation that he had signed it.
Matlala also disputed several allegations concerning Sibiya, including claims that he had paid him money in connection with the SAPS hospital lease and the Medicare24 tender.
In his IDAC statement, Matlala alleged that he had handed Sibiya R80,000 at OR Tambo International Airport and later paid him R200,000 in connection with efforts to secure a lease for the SAPS hospital.
He also alleged that he had paid Sibiya R50,000 through a disposal bin in his office and transferred R500,000 through a company belonging to an associate before allegedly delivering the cash to Sibiya.
On Monday, however, he denied that the payments had been made for these purposes, although he acknowledged transferring R500,000 to the associate’s company.
He also admitted giving Sibiya R50,000 at the SAPS Excellence Awards but disputed the circumstances described in his statement.
Matlala further challenged allegations involving Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts, who was deputy minister of public works and infrastructure at the time.
He was allegedly introduced to Swarts by Sibiya in connection with the hospital lease.
Matlala denied paying her to facilitate the lease, describing the allegations in his IDAC statement as fabricated.
The commission also heard disputes about Matlala’s alleged relationship with former Brigadier Rachel Matjeng and his dealings with other senior police officials.
Matlala repeatedly declined to answer questions about certain allegations, citing his right against self-incrimination and security concerns.
Commission chairperson Mbuyiseli Madlanga intervened at one point when Matlala’s advocate, Anneline van den Heever, argued that invoking the privilege against self-incrimination was sufficient to end questioning.
Madlanga rejected the objection, emphasising that the law did not operate in the manner suggested.
The commission adjourned for the day, with proceedings scheduled to resume on Tuesday morning.
INSIDE POLITICS
