The minister explained that he no longer holds a government position and is a pensioner.
Former police minister Bheki Cele has conceded to staying at the Pretoria penthouse of alleged “Big Five” cartel member and businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
Cele took the witness stand at Parliament’s ad hoc committee in the Good Hope Chamber, Cape Town, on Thursday, marking his first public testimony after being implicated in previous witness accounts.
First meeting with Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala
After the lunch break, Cele went on to describe his first encounter with Matlala in December 2024 at the Beverley Hills Hotel in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
He mentioned that he had come across news reports about Matlala two weeks before their meeting, which took place shortly after the businessman’s house was raided on 6 December.
According to Cele, Matlala wanted to talk about how he had been used for “political games” following his award of a R360 million tender with the South African Police Service (Saps).
The former minister also questioned how Matlala had managed to “fly below the radar” for so long despite his alleged criminal activities, including being a suspect in the attempted murder of his former partner, Tebogo Thobejane.
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He added that Matlala appeared “a cool guy” at first glance, but his track record told a different story.
“For instance, I was looking at the withdrawn cases, and I said it’s too long,” Cele said.
He told the ad hoc committee that the individual who arranged the meeting had not disclosed Matlala’s identity beforehand.
Cele also clarified that he was no longer “working in security” as minister at the time of the meeting.
The ANC veteran admitted meeting Matlala on different occasions afterward.
“I think we did meet in January.”
Cele denies friendship with Matlala
He denied being friends or business partners with Matlala, describing them as acquaintances.
This was in reference to him being questioned by a News24 journalist about the nature of their relationship.
However, Cele conceded that he stayed at Matlala’s luxury penthouse in Pretoria twice.
“I must admit, it was nice to get a free place to sleep. It was nice to go to Pretoria and sleep for free when you don’t work.”
READ MORE: Madlanga commission: Matlala funded crime analyst’s PhD, had ally close to Mchunu
“Even if you work, you would have taken it but then report and declare that that has happened. But it’s not true that I am his business partner.”
He also said he told the journalist, “Don’t ask me something that you can prove very easy”.
“I was treating me like a schoolboy, this journalist.”
Cele dismissed having met alleged Tembisa Hospital tender tycoon Hangweni Maumela.
Watch the ad hoc committee inquiry below:
The former minister faced further questioning about his ties with Matlala.
“Did it not concern you that someone, a stranger, offers you to live at his place freely? There is no relationship, there is no association, there is completely nothing.
“You only met once or twice, then there is this hospitality towards you, given these problems that he has presented to you, given your experience in the police service.
“Was there no concern that what might be at stake here is that I’m given this hospitality by a stranger and a person you have known for a month?” ANC MP Xola Nqola asked.
“I took it. I’m not in government,” Cele responded.
He later added, “It was a freebie, and I’m not working; I’m a pensioner. It’s a nice place, by the way.”
Mkhwanazi retracts allegations
Following a short break, evidence leader Norman Arendse revealed that allegations by KZN police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi—that Cele had sent Matlala his banking details and received deposits from him—were withdrawn by the top cop.
“Just before we adjourned, we received a text message, and subsequently we had a short conversation with Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi in which he says that this allegation is withdrawn.
“The team that was working on the analysis got the bank account number wrong, and that it’s not a reference to you, so the allegation is withdrawn with due apologies from Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi for any inconvenience or hurt caused,” Arendse told Cele.
MPs contended that Mkhwanazi could not unilaterally withdraw the allegation and demanded clarification from the KZN police commissioner.
Ad hoc committee chairperson Soviet Lekganyane stated that Mkhwanazi must revise his statement, after which the committee will determine whether he should be recalled to testify on the issue.
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