The Rise and Fall of Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala: A Tale of Corruption and Betrayal

In the shadows of South Africa’s bustling cities, a figure emerged, weaving through the intricate web of power and corruption.

Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala was not just a name; he was a symbol of audacity and cunning, a man who danced on the edge of legality while amassing wealth and influence.

From the outside, Matlala appeared to be a savvy businessman, a franchisee of Medicare24, a health service provider.

But beneath the surface lay a darker truth, one that would unravel in a series of shocking revelations.

Just six months before securing a monumental R360 million tender from the South African Police Service (SAPS), Matlala had leased a clinic space on police property.

This 750-square-meter building, renovated at a staggering cost of R46 million by the Department of Public Works, was to be the cornerstone of his empire.

However, the plot thickened.

Despite signing the lease on November 30, 2023, Matlala never occupied the premises.

Questions began to swirl about the true purpose of this seemingly innocuous agreement.

The SAPS tender aimed to provide health services to approximately 180,000 police officers and support staff, but how could a company operating from a strip mall in Boksburg, less than five years old, outmaneuver established firms?

As investigations unfolded, it became clear that Matlala was no ordinary businessman.

He was embroiled in a R2.

3 billion corruption probe linked to Tembisa Hospital, with the Special Investigating Unit and the Hawks already hot on his trail.

Yet, the bid evaluation and adjudication committees, seemingly blind to his checkered past, overlooked these glaring red flags.

An internal audit soon exposed a myriad of irregularities in the tender process.

Specifications did not meet the required standards.

The bid wasn’t advertised for the mandated 21 days.

Submissions were left unsecured, and due diligence was alarmingly inadequate.

Missing scorecards and signs of misrepresentation painted a damning picture of Matlala‘s submission.

He had crafted a false narrative, presenting himself as the president of the Medicare24 Group, when in reality, he was merely a franchisee.

The Department of Public Works promised an investigation into the lease, revealing potential weaknesses in internal controls.

On May 12, 2024, National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola made the bold decision to cancel the contract.

By then, Matlala had already pocketed R18 million.

In just 103 days before the cancellation, a staggering R50 million had been disbursed.

The reasons for cancellation were damning: under-performance, irregularities in bid documents, unauthorized personnel hiring, false claims, and blatant misrepresentation.

As the investigation deepened, connections between Matlala and influential figures within the police force began to surface.

Brigadier Petunia Lenono, who had served on both the bid specification and evaluation committees, resigned shortly after the tender award to join Matlala as a consultant.

Payments intended for key players like Brigadier Rachel Matjeng and Captain Brian Cartwright, who had helped shape the tender specifications, flowed through proxy companies, obscuring their true recipients.

The scandal took an even darker turn when it was revealed that Matlala had provided lavish hotel penthouse stays for former Police Minister Bheki Cele during the very term the tender was awarded.

This was a classic case of quid pro quo, a dance of deception that left the public reeling.

As the dust settled, Matlala found himself at the center of a criminal investigation led by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption.

His criminal history was a tapestry of wrongdoing, including a conviction for house burglary in 2001 and numerous arrests for theft, robbery, and possession of illegal firearms.

Most charges had been withdrawn, but the specter of his past loomed large.

In 2016, Matlala was arrested alongside Kagiso Ledwaba, a convicted murderer linked to notorious crime boss Radovan Krejcir.

The underworld connections only deepened when he was recently arrested for three counts of attempted murder and conspiracy related to botched hits on individuals like Tebogo Thobejane, Joe Sibanyoni, and DJ Vettys.

Testimonies positioned Matlala as an underworld leader, a puppet master influencing high-ranking officials, including now-suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.

His ties to the Big Five drug cartel through various associates painted a chilling picture of a man who had infiltrated the very fabric of law enforcement.

The Tembisa Hospital scandal, which ultimately led to the murder of whistleblower Babita Deokaran, further complicated Matlala‘s narrative.

Deokaran had uncovered fraud involving companies linked to him, and her tragic demise cast a long shadow over the ongoing investigations.

As of November 10, 2025, Matlala remained in custody, facing a future riddled with uncertainty.

The walls of his empire were crumbling, and the once-revered businessman was now a pariah, a cautionary tale of greed and betrayal.

The question lingered: what should happen to individuals like Cat Matlala, who exploited government systems and endangered honest officials?

In the court of public opinion, the verdict was clear.

Matlala deserved the harshest penalties for his transgressions.

The exploitation of public resources, the manipulation of tender processes, and the endangerment of lives through his criminal activities warranted a sentence that reflected the gravity of his actions.

As the investigation continued, the story of Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala became a rallying cry for those seeking justice in a system plagued by corruption.

The fallout from his actions rippled through the corridors of power, leaving a trail of broken trust and shattered lives.

In the end, the saga of Matlala serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of integrity in the face of greed.

The rise and fall of this enigmatic figure encapsulated the battle between light and darkness, a struggle that would define South Africa’s ongoing fight against corruption.

As the sun set on his empire, one thing became clear: the truth had a way of surfacing, and justice, though delayed, was inevitable.

The story of Cat Matlala would not end quietly; it would echo through the halls of justice, demanding accountability and change in a system that had long been broken.