By Johnathan Paoli
The wife, sister and friend of murder-accused tenderpreneur Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala have been granted bail of R20,000 each in a new fraud case involving the alleged use of fraudulent documents to secure a luxury property lease in Waterkloof.
Matlala’s wife, Tsakane Matlala, his sister Claudette Masethe, and his close associate Given Makofane appeared in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday morning alongside Matlala, where the State did not oppose their release on bail.
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Matlala, who remains in custody at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre, will have to wait until 14 and 15 October to continue his own bail application.
During proceedings, the court heard that Masethe receives a monthly allowance of R60,000 from her boyfriend and is studying towards a law degree.
The State proposed that the matter involving the three accused who were granted bail be postponed until 17 November to allow for further investigation and disclosure.
The defence, however, argued that it would not be able to meet the proposed deadline, citing the ongoing trial involving the Matlalas.
The parties ultimately agreed to an earlier date of 29 October, when the matter was postponed for further proceedings.
The four accused are facing fresh fraud-related allegations linked to an investigation into the alleged fraudulent acquisition of properties in Gauteng.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed the arrests on Tuesday, saying the investigation involved allegations of properties being acquired across Gauteng through fraudulent documentation.
Mathe also said one of the suspects was being investigated over allegations that fraudulent documents were used to obtain citizenship in Eswatini.
The case is also understood to involve allegations that fraudulent documents were used to secure a property in Waterkloof at a reported rental of about R95,000 a month.
The latest case adds to a series of legal proceedings involving the Matlalas.
Vusimuzi is currently on trial alongside Tsakane and three other accused on charges arising from several alleged shooting plots, including the attempted murder of socialite and actress Tebogo Thobejane, who was previously in a relationship with Matlala.
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Tsakane has pleaded not guilty to a charge of being an accessory after the fact in connection with the Thobejane shooting.
The fraud case also brings Masethe back into the spotlight after her brother’s evidence before Parliament’s Police Ad Hoc Committee, where Matlala said that she was appointed as the sole director of Medicare24 Tshwane in December 2024, after he resigned as a director while retaining full ownership of the company.
He conceded during questioning that her appointment was intended to make her a “front” for the business.
“The shareholding certificate shows that I own the company. I own 100%,” Matlala told MPs.
Medicare24 Tshwane secured an approximately R228 million SAPS health services contract under a procurement process budgeted at about R360 million. National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola cancelled the contract in May 2025 amid scrutiny of the procurement process.
Matlala also alleged that Masethe had withdrawn R300,000 and R200,000 in cash on separate occasions, claiming the money was ultimately handed to former police minister Bheki Cele.
Cele acknowledged that he had stayed at Matlala’s property but denied receiving money from him.
