Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala has alleged that former police minister Bheki Cele sought cash and other benefits while offering to help with matters involving Matlala’s company and the South African Police Service (SAPS). The claims were made during Matlala’s testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday, according to IOL.
The allegations have not been tested by the commission and are not findings of wrongdoing. Cele has denied receiving money from Matlala, a position he reiterated to the Sunday Times in October.
What Matlala told the commission
IOL reported that Matlala said he withdrew R500,000 from a Medicare24 account on January 9, 2025, and a further R200,000 the next day. He described taking cash to his Pretoria penthouse, where Cele allegedly visited, and said Cele promised to provide updates on problems involving Medicare24’s SAPS contract.
Matlala also testified that he and Cele discussed a R1 million arrangement and that he later handed over R300,000 at a Durban hotel, which he described as the outstanding balance. The account is complicated: Matlala was reported as saying the earlier cash was prepared for Cele, while reports of the separate handover give different figures and context. The amounts and sequence have not been independently established.
He further alleged that Cele asked him to buy a retirement property in Trafalgar, KwaZulu-Natal, valued at about R6 million, and requested another R300,000 for repairs to his and his wife’s vehicles. Matlala said he did not pay the vehicle-repair money.
Disputed account remains before inquiry
Matlala’s testimony also challenged a section 204 witness statement prepared during negotiations for a plea agreement that later collapsed. In a separate report, the Mail & Guardian said Matlala accused Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) investigators of coercing him to incriminate Cele and exaggerating the money involved. Matlala reportedly told the inquiry that he had given Cele money, but that the statement’s account was exaggerated.
The commission has not determined whether any of the allegations are true. Cele’s denial and Matlala’s changing account are central to the evidence, and the claims should be treated as allegations unless established through the inquiry or other legal proceedings.
Image: Former police minister Bheki Cele. Itumeleng English/ANA Studio