From former 'street kid' key to South Africa's police corruption inquiry

Vusimusi "Cat" Matlala, a controversial businessman, has become a central figure in South Africa's extensive inquiry into alleged police corruption. The 49-year-old, currently in police custody for over a year on an unrelated matter, is now presenting his testimony before retired Constitutional Court judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga and his panel. This follows an earlier hearing last month that was cut short.

Matlala faces accusations of providing lavish gifts, including 20 impalas, the weight-loss medication Ozempic, and personal loans, to cultivate influence and secure police contracts. The revelations emerging from the 10-month-long Madlanga Commission have captivated South Africans, who are keenly awaiting Matlala's responses to these allegations.

Last November, Matlala, dressed in a Fendi shirt and Gucci glasses, testified at a parallel parliamentary corruption inquiry. During that appearance, he denied personal acquaintance with senior police officers and politicians, and refuted corruption claims. However, he did acknowledge making donations for activities associated with the African National Congress (ANC), the leading party in the coalition government. He has yet to address the broader allegations raised at the Madlanga Commission, including the accusation of his involvement in a drug trafficking cartel reportedly known as the Big Five.

Matlala's public profile rose three years ago when his name surfaced in news reports concerning alleged tender irregularities at a state hospital, though he denied any involvement. Details of his early life are primarily based on his parliamentary testimony last year. Born in 1976 during South Africa's white-minority rule, he grew up in a township east of Pretoria. He informed lawmakers that he was raised for a period by a single mother who then "disappeared on me," leading him to become a "street kid." He reconnected with his mother in 2002 when she was terminally ill. After her death, Matlala discovered she had been sexually assaulted, which he attributed to her albinism, a condition sometimes associated with harmful myths.

After leaving school, Matlala stated he started an informal business, which led to several encounters with the law. In 2001, he was convicted and imprisoned for possessing stolen goods. Over the years, he faced arrests for various crimes, including house robberies, a cash-in-transit heist, and assault. He denied all involvement, and charges were either withdrawn or he was acquitted. He clarified to the parliamentary committee that his nickname "Cat" stemmed from his large family, having nine children with his wife, rather than a supposed ability to survive trouble.

In May 2025, Matlala was arrested and charged with attempted murder, which he denies. His wife, Tsakane Matlala, faces the same charge and also denies it; unlike her husband, she has been granted bail. He was later charged with corruption related to providing health services to the police. Last month, he initially pleaded guilty as part of a deal with the prosecution but has since withdrawn the plea after the agreement collapsed.

Matlala told the parliamentary inquiry last year that he reformed his life in 2017, establishing his first formal business providing security services. He later expanded into healthcare, securing lucrative contracts with a hospital and then the police, despite admitting to lawmakers that he had no prior experience in healthcare provision.

Since last September, as witnesses testified before the Madlanga Commission, allegations of a close and corrupt relationship between Matlala and senior police officers have emerged. These include claims that the now-suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu indirectly received financial campaign contributions from Matlala for his "political endeavours," which Mchunu has denied.

Matlala has also been accused of dealings with Mchunu's predecessor, Bheki Cele. Matlala informed the parliamentary inquiry that he paid Cele a 500,000 rand ($31,000; £23,000) "facilitation fee," which Cele allegedly demanded after police returned firearms seized from Matlala. The businessman further claimed Cele made other requests, such as assistance with a home purchase and his son's studies, which Matlala refused. Cele admitted to MPs that he had known Matlala for a few months and had stayed at his rented penthouse in Pretoria twice, but denied receiving money from Matlala.

The relationship between Matlala and suspended deputy police chief Maj-Gen Shadrack Sibiya has also been scrutinized. Both Matlala and Sibiya denied a close relationship, asserting their interactions were strictly professional. However, testimony at the Madlanga Commission presented a different picture. It was alleged that Sibiya received 20 impalas from Matlala around the time Matlala was awarded the police contract, a claim Sibiya denied, stating he would never "receive anything from a service provider." A witness also claimed Matlala boasted about his "close connections with very senior police officials," including Sibiya, following his arrest last May.

Alleged relationships between Matlala and other senior police officers have also been raised at the Madlanga Commission. Brig Rachel Matjeng, who oversaw the controversial police contract awarded to Matlala, testified about an on-off romantic relationship with the businessman, involving lavish gifts, including Ozempic shots. Maj-Gen Richard Shibiri, head of the police's organized crime unit, admitted to receiving a "personal loan" of $4,000 from Matlala, which he repaid. Shibiri, whose role included overseeing anti-gang, narcotics, and illegal mining investigations, stated the money was for his son's car repairs. He denied a close friendship with Matlala, despite frequent communication and advising him on personal matters. He asserted, "At no stage was I aware that he was a member of any cartel or that he was a subject of any criminal investigation." Both Shibiri and Matjeng have since been dismissed from the police force.

Matlala's name was also linked to an alleged scandal in Ekurhuleni, a local government area east of Johannesburg. It was claimed that while Julius Mkhwanazi was Ekurhuleni's acting police chief, he arranged for blue lights and sirens to be installed on Matlala's personal vehicles. Mkhwanazi, who has since been suspended, denied the allegations but admitted to receiving money from Matlala, whom he described as a "blood brother" during his appearance at the Madlanga Commission.

The startling revelations since the Madlanga Commission began in September have prompted public bewilderment regarding how such events were permitted to occur. Many South Africans, eager to comprehend the mechanisms of the alleged corruption, hope Matlala's ongoing testimony will provide answers.