The Madlanga Commission has postponed the testimony of alleged criminal kingpin and attempted murder accused Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala until next week after his legal team requested more time to finalise his witness statement.

Matlala, who had been subpoenaed to appear before the commission on Tuesday, appeared briefly via video link, while his legal representative, Advocate Anneline van den Heever, appeared in person before the commission.

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Evidence leader Advocate Mahlape Sello applied for the subpoena to be extended until 15 July.

Sello told the commission that ongoing engagements between investigators and Matlala’s legal team had revealed that the witness statement required under the commission’s regulations had not yet been completed.

“Mr. Matlala was served with a subpoena to appear to give his testimony today on the 7th. Over a period of time, the evidence leaders have been in engagement with his legal advisors,” Sello said.

She said that Matlala’s response to the commission’s Regulation 10.6 notice remained outstanding despite an earlier extension.

“The position we find ourselves in is that his statement in response to the notice, the Regulation 10.6 notice that was due is not ready and an extension was requested, which was granted due to other difficulties. It could not be completed in time,” she said.

Sello said the commission was also still preparing the documentary evidence that would form part of the hearing.

“Where we are now is we still don’t have the statement, and we are still in the process of compiling the exhibit bundle. In light of where we are and the rollovers that happened from last week impacting this week, we appear before you today to request a postponement and an extension of that subpoena to a new date on which he then will appear to testify,” she said.

Van den Heever told the commission that Matlala did not oppose the postponement and said both sides had worked cooperatively to resolve the scheduling issues.

She thanked the commission’s legal team for accommodating the request.

“We agree that the new date that’s been arranged is the 15th. We are indebted to my learned friend and her colleagues for arranging this with us. I’ve got no objection to the subpoena being extended to the 15th,” she said.

Before the postponement was formalised, Sello informed the commission that the parties had reached agreement on when Matlala’s written statement would be delivered.

“The parties are now agreed that Mr. Matlala’s statement will be submitted tomorrow, the 8th of July,” she said.

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Van den Heever confirmed the agreement but said her client reserved the right to supplement his statement if additional documentation became available.

She said the defence was still attempting to obtain material it regarded as important to addressing some of the issues before the commission.

Delivering the ruling, Commission Chair Mbuyiseli Madlanga granted the application and issued two clear directives to Matlala.

“Mr. Matlala, the hearing of your testimony is postponed to 15 July 2026. That’s one. Two, your statement must be filed by tomorrow,” Madlanga said.

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The South African Police Service has fired Brigadier Rachel Matjeng after an internal disciplinary process found her guilty of serious misconduct involving businessman Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala, whom she claims was also her lover.

SAPS said on Wednesday that Matjeng’s dismissal took effect on Tuesday, 30 June.

Matjeng, the suspended SAPS head of quality management, was found guilty on charges including accepting gratification, money laundering, dishonesty, improper conduct and conduct prejudicial to the administration of the police service.

SAPS said the charges arose from her relationship with Matlala, whose company, Medicare24 Tshwane District, was awarded a police health services contract that later became the subject of criminal proceedings and scrutiny before the Madlanga Commission.

Among the findings against Matjeng were that she had improperly advised Matlala against the interests of SAPS and had provided him with a list containing details of SAPS members with the intention of deriving a financial benefit.

Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane welcomed the dismissal.

“The outcome sends a clear message that corruption, criminality and any form of collusion with criminals have no place within the South African Police Service,” Dimpane said.

The Medicare24 contract was an irregular tender initially budgeted at about R360 million, but awarded at about R228 million.

The National Prosecuting Authority said in March that Treasury regulations had been violated and that Matlala and Medicare24 had been favoured by SAPS bid evaluation committee members. It said Matlala received just over R50 million before SAPS cancelled the contract.

Matlala pleaded guilty last week in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court to fraud, corruption and money laundering after his matter was separated from the case against the remaining accused.

In his plea admission, Matlala said he paid R300,000 to Matjeng to influence the SAPS tender.

Matjeng previously told the Madlanga Commission that she had been romantically involved with Matlala and denied that money or gifts from him were bribes linked to the contract. She maintained that the payments were personal gifts exchanged during their relationship.

Matjeng was arrested in March with other accused linked to the tender case and was granted R80,000 bail.

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Mzansi will have to wait until Wednesday to hear whether the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court will accept a proposed plea-and-sentence agreement under which controversial businessman Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala has admitted guilt and agreed to cooperate with the State in the R228.6 million SAPS-Medicare24 tender scandal.

Reserving judgment in Tshwane on Thursday, Magistrate Ignatius du Preez said he was not yet in a position to decide whether the proposed sentence was just, after Matlala tendered guilty pleas to fraud, corruption and money laundering in the case.

“We have reached a stage of proceedings where the court, with due regard to the inputs provided, the various exhibits and submissions given, that I must make a decision as to whether the sentence agreement is a just sentence. I am not in a position today to make a finding as to whether it is indeed a just sentence. I’ve been provided quite a voluminous document. I need to consider the various aspects mentioned there,” Du Preez said.

He ordered both the State and Matlala’s legal team to submit the full judgments of authorities cited during argument by Friday, after which he is expected to rule on whether the agreement complies with Section 105A of the Criminal Procedure Act.

Du Preez stressed that Matlala has not yet been convicted.

“The accused has not yet been convicted of any of the counts. The judgment will only follow if the court finds that indeed it is a just sentence,” he said.

The plea agreement records guilty pleas by Matlala and his companies, Medicare24 Tshwane District and Luxo Africa Brand Investments, to seven counts including fraud, corruption and money laundering.

According to the agreement, Matlala admitted that the R228.6 million SAPS health services tender was secured through fraud and misrepresentation.

The agreement details how Medicare24 Tshwane District misrepresented its infrastructure, personnel, business addresses and operational capabilities during the bidding process.

It states that Matlala knowingly collaborated with SAPS bid evaluation committee member Captain Brian Cartwright, who allegedly provided confidential procurement information in exchange for payments.

The plea document also outlines how Matlala admitted that the tender arrangement involved a fronting scheme designed to circumvent broad-based Black economic empowerment requirements.

The agreement records that SAPS ultimately paid Medicare24 more than R50.3 million before the contract was cancelled.

Matlala also admitted to corruption involving suspended SAPS Quality Management head, and his former lover, Brigadier Rachel Matjeng.

According to the plea agreement, Matjeng allegedly facilitated purchase orders and referrals that enabled Medicare24 to invoice SAPS, while receiving R300,000 in bribes paid in three instalments of R100,000 between January and March 2025.

In exchange for Matlala’s guilty pleas and cooperation, prosecutors agreed to seek a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence.

The proposed sentence would see all counts taken together for sentencing purposes, with Matlala receiving 15 years’ direct imprisonment, seven years of which would be suspended for five years.

The suspension would be conditional on Matlala providing sworn statements when requested, testifying honestly and fully in future criminal proceedings, and not committing further offences.

According to the agreement, he has already provided a draft affidavit implicating “several high-profile people” and supplied corroborating documentation.

Addressing the court, prosecutor Santhos Manilal said the negotiations took almost two months and involved extensive verification of information supplied by Matlala.

“The accused himself had to secure documentation to corroborate whatever is indicated in the affidavit. That affidavit itself, in terms of what is contained and who is implicated in this contract, further individuals, further high-ranking individuals who have been implicated,” Manilal said.

He said that the plea agreement would allow authorities to pursue senior police officials allegedly involved in corruption.

“For the first time, the State will be able to pursue very high-ranking officials who were in charge of protecting this country. We have an accused who has come forward and has given us detail that we would not have been made aware of. That evidence we would not have been able to obtain,” he said.

Defence counsel Angus Mackenzie said that Matlala’s cooperation would serve the interests of justice.

“We acknowledge that the crimes committed were severe. But as the State put it, we submit that the interests of justice would be served if this agreement is allowed to proceed and Mr Matlala cooperates as he’s undertaken to do with the State,” Mackenzie said.

Mackenzie said Matlala had not only provided a statement but had also supplied documentary proof to assist investigators.

Matlala’s attorney Hlawu Maluleke also urged the court to consider Matlala’s remorse and willingness to cooperate.

“The conduct of the accused person before this court shows and demonstrates somebody who arrives at this court partially rehabilitated. He instructed me to commence discussions with the State. He was not coerced by anybody,” Maluleke said.

The attorney said Matlala could have simply pleaded guilty and left matters there, but instead chose to cooperate with the State.

Magistrate Du Preez postponed the matter to Wednesday at 8.30am.

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Alleged underworld boss and attempted-murder accused Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala has entered into a plea agreement with the State regarding the fraudulent police tender that was awarded to one of his companies.

He has agreed to plead guilty to fraud, corruption and money laundering charges in the R228 million police tender awarded to Medicare24.

The agreement was placed before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Thursday, a day after Matlala’s case was separated from that of his co-accused.

The matter relates to the alleged irregular awarding of a SAPS health services contract to Medicare24. The State has alleged that the tender process was tainted by corruption involving Matlala, his companies and senior police officials.

Prosecutors have previously alleged that SAPS Brigadier Rachel Matjeng received R300,000 from Matlala in connection with the matter. Matjeng is among the accused whose cases remain before court separately.

This is a developing story.

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Former Police Minister Bheki Cele faced a bruising night in front of Parliament’s ad hoc committee probing corruption and political interference in SAPS on Thursday, fending off allegations that he fraternised with attempted murder-accused tenderpreneur Vusimusi ‘Cat’ Matlala, meddled in internal police affairs, and failed to act against officials implicated in wrongdoing.

Evidence leader Advocate Norman Arendse opened the afternoon session — which ended up running late into Thursday night — by confronting Cele over his relationship with Matlala, citing meetings at Durban’s Beverly Hills Hotel and Zimbali Estate, as well as reports that Cele had stayed twice at Matlala’s Pretoria penthouse.

Cele admitted to attending the 2024 Umhlanga meeting, arranged by an associate named “Mabongwa”, but denied knowing Matlala personally at the time.

Pressed on whether he knew of Matlala’s company securing a since-cancelled R360 million police health services tender, Cele replied: “Ministers don’t sign tenders. I read about it in the media.”

He said his meetings with Matlala were “to hear his side, not to influence investigations”.

Arendse suggested Matlala had tried to draw Cele into a conspiracy by discouraging Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo from investigating criminal allegations made against Matlala.

Cele denied this: “My angle was Khumalo, not the raid on Matlala.” He insisted his only intervention was to ensure Khumalo was not unfairly targeted.

The session briefly turned to the withdrawal of allegations by KwaZulu-Natal’s police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who had previously accused Cele of benefiting from a suspicious transfer linked to Matlala.

Mkhwanazi has since apologised and admitted his claim was incorrect.

The committee unanimously agreed Mkhwanazi must formally withdraw the statement in writing and issue a public apology, as well as appear before the committee again.

African National Congress (ANC) MP Thokozile Sokanyile questioned Cele about a letter of complaint involving suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, from when he worked for the City of Johannesburg as the head of its anti-corruption unit.

Cele said he could not recall such correspondence and dismissed it as “pathetic,” stressing that Sibiya had been cleared by the mayor, State Security Agency, and the Labour Court into any allegations of wrongdoing when at the city.

“Definitely there will be a concern, but he was cleared through proper channels,” Cele said.

Sokanyile then asked whether Matlala was a friend or acquaintance.

The former minister said their contact ceased after Matlala’s arrest and denied influencing police operations.

ANC MP Xola Nqola pressed about Cele’s relationship with his since-suspended successor, Senzo Mchunu, and claims that Cele “ruled from the grave”.

Cele denied political interference in SAPS, adding that he and Mchunu were “on the same side politically” but “had differences”.  

uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK) MP Sibonelo Nomvalo focused on whether the state apparatus was weaponised for factional ANC battles.

Cele acknowledged it “would be a danger,” but said he had “no evidence” of such abuse.

Nomvalo accused him of “recklessly intervening” to protect Lieutenant-General Khumalo.

Cele countered: “I couldn’t allow Khumalo to be made a scapegoat. I told Matlala to speak directly to Khumalo.”

Pressed about accepting accommodation at Matlala’s Pretoria apartment, Cele said: “I’m in Pretoria; I’m not going to pay. It was a freebie, and I’m a pensioner.”

Asked about links to the taxi industry, Cele listed several figures he had engaged with “to solve problems,” including Mandla Gcaba and Jothan “King Mswazi” Msibi.

Nomvalo also asked whether Cele had seen Facebook posts by whistle-blower Patricia Mashale alleging abuse of secret intelligence funds.

Cele said he had not, and that if he had, he would have referred it to the Inspector-General of Intelligence.

MKP MP Vusi Shongwe questioned Cele about Sibiya’s alleged ties to spy equipment and tender dealings.

Cele denied involvement in procurement and said Sibiya had been cleared by multiple authorities.

He also confirmed Matlala told him that Mchunu had asked for funding for a presidential campaign.

Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Ian Cameron accused Cele of portraying all allegations as politically motivated.

Cameron challenged Cele’s frequent calls to Matlala, saying it was “not normal to phone an acquaintance 10 times a day”.

Cele reiterated that he stayed in Matlala’s house because “it was free”.

Cameron asked whether Cele had Googled Matlala before meeting him.

Quipped Cele: “Googling is not intelligence work.”

He reiterated that ministers “don’t sign tenders,” and defended his tenure, blaming former police commissioner Riah Phiyega for “destroying SAPS”.

Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) MP Albert Mncwango praised Cele for being “eloquent,” but asked whether the PKTT’s disbandment was political interference.

Cele said it was wrong but “not interference,” noting that ministers should “stay in their lane”.

ActionSA MP Dereleen James closed the session by warning that “a house divided against itself cannot stand”.

She asked whether Mchunu was a comrade or associate.

“He is my comrade,” Cele replied.

James probed his repeated calls to Matlala and asked if he would hand over his phone for investigation purposes.

Cele said he was willing, but “only for information concerning Matlala”.

The EFF will be questioning Cele when the sitting resumes on Friday morning.

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