By localnew 
Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala to testify before Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee
The South African Parliament will summon jailed Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala to appear in person before the Ad Hoc Committee investigating alleged corruption within the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The move marks an unprecedented step in parliamentary procedure, underscoring the importance of the investigation.
Matlala, a controversial businessman, has become a key figure in ongoing corruption cases in South Africa.
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 was later cancelled by the 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 implicated in the Tembisa Hospital contracts case by Babita Deokaran, who was later killed.
Currently in custody, Matlala faces charges including attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and money laundering. The charges stem from the shooting of his ex-girlfriend, actress Tebogo Thobejane, in 2023. The courts have repeatedly denied him bail, citing him as a flight risk and a danger to the public, and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) continues to oppose his latest bail application.
Parliament’s decision to bring Matlala in person before the committee underscores the importance of his evidence in the broader investigation into police corruption. Evidence from the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has implicated Matlala as part of a sophisticated criminal group, known as the “Big Five,” which is alleged to be involved in tender fraud, drug trafficking, and contract killings.
Additional evidence, including WhatsApp messages from Matlala’s phone, suggests that he may have funded political expenses in exchange for favors from senior officials, including efforts to secure his multi-million rand SAPS contract.
The committee has already heard from suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya, who admitted that he knew Matlala professionally and had limited contact with him over the tender dispute. Members of Parliament have expressed concern about these contacts, asking why senior police officers would continue to have contact with people of “questionable character.”
The unprecedented move to bring a detained prisoner to Parliament underscores the complexity of the allegations facing South Africa’s legal institutions.
As the committee moves through uncharted territory, the nation is watching closely, eager to see whether government contracts, violent crime, and high-level influence can finally be separated.