Tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala will no longer appear before the Madlanga Commission this week after the commission confirmed that evidence leaders will seek to postpone his testimony.
Matlala had been scheduled to testify on Tuesday, 7 July, after being subpoenaed last week. Instead, only his legal representative will attend the proceedings while a new date for his evidence is considered.
The businessman, who is facing multiple corruption-related charges, remains in custody at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre in Pretoria.
Madlanga Commission Cites Intense Public Interest
Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels said the decision follows significant public and media attention surrounding Matlala’s anticipated testimony.
“Due to the heightened media and public interest in the testimony of Mr Vusimuzi Matlala, the commission wishes to advise that whilst Mr Matlala has been subpoenaed to appear before it on Tuesday, 7 July, the evidence leaders will request that his testimony be postponed to a date to be determined.
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“Mr Matlala will therefore not appear in-person before the commission on Tuesday but his legal representative will instead be physically present,” Michaels said.
Matlala previously appeared before Parliament’s ad hoc committee in late 2025 and is regarded as an important witness in the commission’s ongoing investigation.
Court Rejects Plea Deal in SAPS Corruption Case
The postponement comes shortly after Matlala suffered a setback in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, where his plea agreement with the state was rejected on Wednesday, 1 July.
He had pleaded guilty to charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering linked to a R228 million health services contract awarded to his company, Medicare24 Tshwane District, by the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Under the proposed plea agreement, Matlala also undertook to cooperate with the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) by testifying as a state witness.
However, Magistrate Ignatius du Preez ruled that the proposed sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, with seven years suspended, was too lenient because it would have resulted in Matlala serving only eight years behind bars.
The magistrate instead proposed a sentence of 12 years’ direct imprisonment.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), together with Matlala’s legal team, is now considering whether to accept the revised sentence or withdraw from the plea agreement. The matter is expected back in court on 13 July.
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Apart from the corruption case, Matlala is also facing 11 counts of attempted murder linked to the alleged 2023 attempted assassination of his former partner, Tebogo Thobejane.
His trial on those charges is scheduled to begin on 20 July in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.
