The attempted murder trial of businessman and alleged underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and his four co-accused has been set down for 30 court days.

The court ordered that the trial proceed uninterrupted from 20 July to 7 August, with a brief intermission to resume from 31 August to 18 September.

Matlala appeared in the Johannesburg High Court on Monday and pleaded not guilty to 25 charges, including attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, money laundering, fraud and firearms-related offences.

Matlala is being tried alongside his wife, Tsakane Matlala, alleged hitmen Musa Kekana and Tiego Floyd Mabusela and Nthabiseng Nzama, Kekana’s daughter.

Kekana and Mabusela are accused of carrying out the planned shootings, while Nzama faces money laundering charges for allegedly using her business account to channel more than R100 000 to facilitate the attacks.

“We've done the pretrial proceedings, you've pleaded to the charges, I've heard the submissions by counsel and the state has read the charge sheet,” the presiding judge said.

The judge noted that the attempted murder charges could attract life imprisonment unless substantial and compelling circumstances justified a lesser sentence. The court further highlighted that convictions for the illegal possession of firearms carried 25 years and ammunition 15 years of prescribed minimum sentences.

“Be mindful of the fact that from this point onwards, when the state is leading its evidence, it is going to argue at the end of the day that, in the event that the accused persons are convicted, the court must proceed to apply the provisions of the Minimum Sentences Act,” the judge said.

The court also ordered that all accused be provided with writing material to enable them to take notes during proceedings.

“I want you to take an active part in your defence during the course of this trial,” the judge said. “To that extent, what I will allow is for each and every accused person to be provided with writing material so that, whilst the evidence of the witnesses is being tendered, you will be able to make notes.”

The judge said the arrangement would allow the accused to consult with their legal representatives on issues arising from witness testimony without repeatedly interrupting proceedings.

The case centres on three alleged contract killing plots carried out between August 2022 and January 2024.

The state alleges that Matlala orchestrated attacks on six individuals in three separate drive-by shootings.

The targeted individuals include actress and socialite Tebogo Thobejane, Matlala’s former girlfriend, who was shot and wounded in an ambush on the N1 near Sandton in October 2023. A passenger travelling with her sustained severe spinal injuries and was left paralysed.

The indictment also includes an August 2022 attempted hit on Mpumalanga businessman and taxi operator Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni, as well as a January 2024 shooting targeting music producer Seunkie Mokubung, known professionally as DJ Vettys.