By Johnathan Paoli
Day two of Parliament’s ad hoc committee hearings at Kgosi Mampuru II Prison on Wednesday saw businessman and attempted-murder accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala repeatedly refuse to answer key questions.
He said his silence was to avoid incriminating himself, despite the committee’s assurances that his testimony was legally protected.
Advocate Norman Arendse (SC) told the committee that Matlala had agreed to appear voluntarily despite facing a pending attempted murder trial.
Arendse said that Matlala had not yet signed the statement he planned to rely on, but stressed that Parliament did not require an affidavit before testimony could begin.
While cooperative on biographical questions, confirming he grew up in Mamelodi-East, was raised by a single mother, and began in informal business, Matlala grew increasingly evasive as the questioning approached the cancelled R360 million South African Police Service (SAPS) healthcare tender awarded to his company, Medicare24 Tshwane District.
Arendse repeatedly reminded him that the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament Act protects witnesses from their evidence being used against them in future criminal proceedings.
But Matlala pushed back, insisting investigators could still use his answers to guide their enquiries.
“I don’t want to talk deep into that thing. I don’t want to compromise the investigation or incriminate myself,” he said when asked to explain the contract.
African National Congress MP Khusela Diko openly expressed frustration with his position, saying she was disturbed by his refusal to answer protected questions.
Committee chair Soviet Lekganyane stepped in to clarify the law, emphasising that nothing said in Parliament could be used against Matlala unless he lied under oath.
Still, Matlala continued to sidestep questions about procurement irregularities and his dealings with Medicare24’s holding company, which reportedly received payments under the controversial SAPS contract.
One of the central lines of questioning concerned Matlala’s alleged association with murder-accused businessman Katiso “KT” Molefe, a key figure in the so-called “Big 5” criminal syndicate, according to testimony before the ongoing Madlanga Commission.
Arendse put to Matlala that both he and Molefe had long-standing links to taxi mogul Jotham “King Mswazi” Msibi, who died in January 2024 and has been described as the syndicate’s patriarch.
Both men attended Msibi’s high-profile funeral.
Matlala confirmed he provided security to Msibi through his company Cat VIP Protection from 2021 until the businessman’s death.
But when Arendse pressed him on Molefe, Matlala firmly rejected any association.
He denied ever providing him with VIP protection and insisted their only connection was that both knew Msibi.
This denial comes despite recordings played at the Madlanga Commission in which Matlala claimed to have interacted closely with senior police generals through Msibi; testimony identifying both men as linked to the same criminal network; and allegations that Msibi served as a point of introduction between them.
The committee spent considerable time unpacking the structure of Medicare24 Tshwane District, the entity awarded the SAPS contract.
Matlala confirmed he resigned as a director in December last year, but remains the 100% shareholder.
He also conceded he did not inform SAPS of his resignation, calling it an oversight.
Arendse suggested that Matlala may have been used to front for Medicare’s founders, Mike van Wyk and Riaan Venter, both implicated in other controversial policing contracts.
Matlala rejected this, insisting that it was a genuine business deal.
He also dismissed suggestions that he leased a hospital complex at the SAPS college in anticipation of winning the tender, saying he had been pursuing the lease for three years.
The committee continues.
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