In a historic first, South Africa’s Parliament is set to summon remand detainee Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala to appear in person before an Ad Hoc Committee investigating alleged corruption within the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The move marks an unprecedented step in parliamentary procedure, reflecting the high stakes of the inquiry.
Matlala, a controversial businessman, has become a central figure in South Africa’s ongoing corruption scandals.
He built a business empire through companies such as Medicare 24 Tshwane District, which in 2024 was awarded a R360 million SAPS health services contract and later cancelled by suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
The contract was later cancelled by National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola following allegations of irregularities. Matlala’s companies were previously flagged in connection with the Tembisa Hospital contracts scandal by whistleblower Babita Deokaran, who was later murdered.
Currently in custody, Matlala faces charges including attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and money laundering. These charges stem from the 2023 shooting of his former girlfriend, actress Tebogo Thobejane. Courts have repeatedly denied him bail, citing him as a flight risk and a danger to society, and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) continues to oppose his latest bail appeal.
Parliament’s decision to physically bring Matlala before the committee underscores the importance of his testimony in a wider investigation into police corruption. Evidence emerging from the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has implicated Matlala as part of a sophisticated criminal syndicate, the so-called “Big Five,” allegedly involved in tender fraud, drug trafficking, and contract killings.
Additional evidence, including WhatsApp messages from Matlala’s phone, suggests he may have financed political expenses in exchange for favors from high-ranking officials, including efforts to protect his multi-million-rand SAPS contract.
The committee has already heard from suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya, who admitted to knowing Matlala professionally and having limited interactions with him over a tender dispute. MPs expressed alarm at these connections, questioning why top-ranking police officials would maintain contact with individuals of “questionable morality.”
The unprecedented step of bringing a remand detainee before Parliament highlights the gravity of the allegations confronting South Africa’s law enforcement agencies.
As the committee navigates uncharted procedural territory, the nation watches closely, eager to see whether state contracts, violent crime, and high-level influence can finally be disentangled.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
