Tenderpreneur Vusimusi "Cat" Matlala says he plans to challenge his arrest and the way the information that landed him behind bars was gathered — and he is pointing the finger at one meeting in particular.
Speaking at the Madlanga commission yesterday, Matlala said a sit-down with KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in April 2025 was the reason he is now in custody.
"If it wasn't because of this type of engagement [with Mkhwanazi] and topics [we discussed], I wouldn't be where I am now."
But here is the twist: he refused, again and again, to say what was actually discussed in that meeting. Matlala said spilling the details now would "spoil his case" before he gets to present it in court.
The cases hanging over him
Matlala is facing two separate criminal matters.
He is accused of involvement in the attempted murder of his former girlfriend, actress Tebogo Thobejane, as well as the attempted murder of taxi boss Joe "Ferrari" Sibanyoni.
He is also facing charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering linked to a R228m SAPS tender awarded to his company, Medicare24 Tshwane.
The men he allegedly hired to shoot both Thobejane and Sibanyoni have been linked to a number of killings — including the murder of Oupa "DJ Sumbody" Sefoka.
Why he says he met the general
According to Matlala, the reason for the meeting was business, not blood. He said he wanted to complain about not receiving purchase orders and was under the impression Mkhwanazi could help him.
He said the meeting was organised on his behalf by former police minister Bheki Cele, and that he attended it with former KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Maj-Gen Lesetja Senona.
During the meeting, he said, they discussed — among other things — allegations that suspended deputy police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya had unlawfully collected money from people.
The R20,000 "loan"
Earlier in his testimony, Matlala revealed he had received a R20,000 "loan" from Senona — though he had initially refused to talk about their relationship at all, saying it was under investigation by the commission's task team.
He said the two met at a wedding in Pretoria in 2019, and that the relationship grew stronger because Senona would sometimes recommend Matlala's security company to prospective clients.
After police raided his home in December 2024, Matlala said he went straight to Senona.
"I told him, 'Listen, they even took my phones. I cannot even make transactions'. I even borrowed money from him."
"I remember that day he gave me R20,000."
The Menlyn property
Matlala said he met Senona's son, Thato, in 2024, as they had intended to buy a property in Menlyn, Pretoria.
"It was less than R3m, I don't remember, between R2m and R3m."
When advocate Adila Hassim asked whether Senona had received any benefits from him, Matlala shut the door.
"Advocate [Adila] Hassim, that is under investigation."
Senona is alleged to have leaked confidential police reports to Matlala — one of them the directive to disband the political killings task team, which was believed to be responsible for the two raids at Matlala's property in December 2024.
The hearing continues.
