Pretoria – Alleged underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s R228 million SAPS tender fraud and corruption case has been postponed to 25 September, paving the way for him to rejoin the main case against 13 police officials.
Matlala appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Friday morning, but the matter could not proceed because he was attending proceedings at the Johannesburg High Court.
Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the State wanted Matlala to be present when the matter is transferred back to the Pretoria Regional Court.
“You would remember that the last time he was here, when the plea and sentence agreement fell off the radar, we then postponed this matter to this date, as per agreement with his attorneys,” Mamothame said.
He said neither the State nor Matlala’s legal team had anticipated that the Johannesburg High Court proceedings would run throughout the week.
“We deemed it proper that we postpone this matter, request the court for a postponement, because we want him to be present in court when this matter is transferred back to the Pretoria Regional Court,” he said.
The matter has now been provisionally postponed to 25 September, although Mamothame said the date could change if Matlala is required to appear before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry or in another court matter.
WATCH | Alleged underworld kingpin Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and his two companies have had their R228-million SAPS medical tender fraud case postponed to 25 September. pic.twitter.com/kcPb5jJj44
— SABC News (@SABCNews) September 11, 2026
Matlala had previously entered into a plea and sentence agreement with the State in the Medicare24 tender case.
Under the agreement, he was expected to serve an eight-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to charges linked to the R228 million SAPS tender.
However, the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court rejected the proposed sentence and recommended an effective 12-year prison term instead.
Matlala subsequently rejected the longer sentence and withdrew from the agreement, which was declared null and void. His guilty plea therefore fell away and the matter returned to the trial process.
The collapse of the agreement means Matlala will now face the charges in the main case alongside the other accused.
Mamothame said Matlala had originally been separated from the main matter because of his intention to conclude a plea and sentence agreement with the State.
“However, that did not happen. He decided against it. Therefore it means we need to rejoin him in the main matter,” he said.
“The charges will still stand as they were for all the accused, and the matter will continue as such.”
The main case involves 13 SAPS officials, including suspended national police commissioner Fannie Masemola, who face allegations linked to the awarding of the SAPS Medicare24 tender.
The R228 million figure refers to the amount paid out under the police health-services contract, which was initially advertised at about R360 million.
Matlala’s case is expected to be joined with the main matter, which is scheduled to return to court on 29 September.
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Compiled by Glaan Sibuyi
