Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala asserted privilege over the R360 million Medicare24 contract and denied any connection with suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu and deputy crime intelligence head Feroz Khan while conceding to have met KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

Matlala’s appearance was initially scheduled for 1 September but was brought forward to 17 August. His early appearance before the commission followed a revised timetable set by the judge overseeing his separate attempted murder case in the Johannesburg High Court.

Matlala has been charged with orchestrating three failed hits between August 2022 and January 2024 targeting taxi boss Joe Sibanyoni, music producer Seunkie Mokubung (DJ Vettys) and Matlala’s former partner, socialite Tebogo Thobejane.

Evidence leader Mahlape Sello and Matlala’s lawyer, advocate Anneline van den Heever, spent the opening part of the proceedings arguing over whether Matlala’s affidavit should be read into the record and when he would be expected to respond to new evidence bundles.

Van den Heever said her legal team had not had sufficient time to work through the voluminous bundle of documents and asked that Matlala be allowed to read his affidavit without being questioned by the evidence leaders or commissioners.

Sello conceded that Van den Heever had been sent up to 22 000 files containing evidence. She also referred to difficulties in accessing electronic responses from Matlala’s legal team, describing the process as “a comedy of errors”.

Matlala is facing two separate criminal cases.

The Political Killings Task Team arrested him on 14 May 2025 and charged him in connection with an attempted murder case.

He is also appearing in the Commercial Crimes Court on money laundering charges relating to the R360 million Medicare24 contract, of which R50 million was paid before the contract was stopped.

Matlala told the commission that he entered the security industry in 2017 when he established Cat VIP Security. He later became involved in the healthcare sector after registering the Medicare24 Tshwane company on the Central Supplier Database.

“I place on record that I do not have any other business outside the security and health sector,” he said.

When asked whether he had only two companies, Matlala said he did.

Commissioner Sandile Khumalo, however, pointed out that evidence before the commission indicated that Matlala had three companies: Medicare24, Cat VIP Protection and Black AK Trading and Supplies.

Medicare24 was contracted to provide wellness checks to the South African Police Service in a contract that has been described as irregular. The matter has resulted in criminal charges against 12 senior police officials and three company directors.

National police commissioner Fannie Masemola was later added as Matlala’s 16th co-accused on charges related to the Public Finance Management Act.

Recent testimony before the commission has also raised questions about whether Masemola was targeted by the Independent Directorate Against Corruption (Idac).

“I place on record that the Medicare tender has since been terminated. As already alluded [to], I am currently facing criminal charges with respect to the Medicare tender,” Matlala said.

“In light of the current pending criminal charges referred to herein, I am unable to comment further on this matter in that I do not wish to give evidence that may lead to self-incrimination and therefore I claim that privilege against self-incrimination,” he said.

Matlala said his decision to invoke his right against self-incrimination should not be interpreted as an attempt to obstruct the commission or as an unwillingness to cooperate.

He was also questioned about his relationship with the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) and an alleged memorandum of understanding that allowed his security vehicles to be fitted with blue lights, which are generally reserved for law-enforcement vehicles.

“I place on record that none of my companies were ever awarded contracts by EMPD and that the only business that was concluded was for no financial gain,” Matlala said.

He said Cat VIP Protection had provided security services to former Ekurhuleni mayor Tania Campbell without charge.

Matlala repeatedly maintained that he could not answer questions about Medicare24 because he had been criminally charged and was attending court proceedings related to the matter.

“I remain an accused in that matter together with my companies and, as such, evidence is still to be led in open court with respect to this matter. I am entitled to be presumed innocent until proven guilty and also not to answer self-incriminating questions, especially on such a complex matter that the state has already preferred charges against me,” he said.

Sello persisted with questions about Medicare24 and asked Matlala about his relationships with senior SAPS officials. Matlala again invoked his right against self-incrimination and identified the police officials who are his co-accused.

They include Masemola, Brigadier Rachel Matjeng, Brigadier Alpheus Ngema, Brigadier Patrick Nethengwe, Brigadier Kirsty Jonker, Brigadier Petunia Lenono, Brigadier Onica Tlhoale, Colonel Anton Paulsen, Colonel Natsenga Monyai, Colonel Nonjabulo Mngadi, Colonel Tumisho Maleka, Captain Brian Cartwright and Major General Busisiwe Themba.

Matlala also addressed allegations about his connections to several other individuals. He denied knowing suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu, Feroz Khan and Molefe Fani. He said he had met KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and Khomotso Phahlane.

He stated that he met Mkhwanazi where they discussed the Medicare24 contract and a warrant of arrest related to the attempted murder case, both of which he could not testify about.

“I have never met Minister Mchunu and have had no interactions with him nor have I been at any gathering where he was present. It suffices to say that I do not know Minister Mchunu,” Matlala said.

He said his attorney had interacted with Mchunu’s attorney when submitting a letter to Idac. Matlala denied that there were intermediaries between him and Mchunu.

Sello said Matlala had not responded to questions about his relationships with the following SAPS officials: Shadrack Sibiya, Lesetja Senona, Hilda Senthumele,former police Minister Bheki Cele, Richard Shibiri, Sandisa Thema, Fani Nkosi, Lieutenant Colonel Maluleke, Captain Zungu and Julius Mkhwanazi.

Van den Heever said those relationships had been left out because they related to an ongoing investigation. She said they would be addressed in Matlala’s subsequent supplementary statement.