Matlala's legal team asked for a postponement, insisting he can only answer limited questions
Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala appears before Madlanga commission at Brigette Mabandla Judicial College in Pretoria on 15 July 2026. Picture: Gallo Images/Frennie Shivambu
The Madlanga commission has reluctantly postponed the testimony of tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala for the second time following a back-and-forth between the commissioners and his legal team.
Matlala appeared at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria on Wednesday, 15 July 2026.
The tenderpreneur is at the centre of the commission’s inquiry, which is investigating allegations of political interference, criminality and corruption within the criminal justice system.
Cat Matlala appears before Madlanga commission
At the beginning of the proceedings, Advocate Annelene van den Heever, representing Matlala, presented an application for a postponement on the basis that her client had ongoing legal proceedings against him.
Matlala is facing multiple serious charges, including 11 counts of attempted murder relating to the failed assassinations of his former partner, Tebogo Thobejane, taxi boss Joe Sibanyoni and music producer Seunkie Mokubung, known as DJ Vettys.
That trial is expected to begin on 20 July before the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.
Van den Heever explained on Wednesday that due to this, it would be difficult for Matlala to deal with some of the allegations he needs to respond to.
This, the lawyer contended, would lead to Matlala’s invoking his constitutional right to remain silent and not answer certain questions.
“It’s not in [the commission’s] interest that we present, in piecemeal fashion, answers to questions,” Van den Heever told the commission.
“The fact of the matter is that my client is being made out to be this mastermind by everybody and we respectfully, from our interaction, say that there is a fallacy in that,” she said.
While the commission’s chairperson Mbuyiseli Madlanga stated that Matlala’s voided plea deal was now “history”, Van den Heever insisted that the legal team still needed to peruse the contents of the negotiations with the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac).
“I cannot at this point, in confidence, say to the commission and I won’t permit my client to deal with those until such time I know what they have negotiated with him, [and] what they asked him,” she said.
‘Plea deal is irrelevant’
This resulted in a heated exchange between the lawyer and the chairperson, with Madlanga emphasising that he was not interested in the “nitty-gritties” of the issues Matlala can’t testify on at this stage.
“Clearly what you have just said about the plea deal is irrelevant to my question,” the retired judge remarked.
He suggested that the issues Matlala cannot answer to can be sidelined, while evidence on other matters be heard by the commission.
However, Van den Heever maintained her stance on Matlala’s testimony being postponed, insisting that her client is limited to what he can answer.
“I cannot, at this point, as an officer of the court, distinguish between what we can answer and cannot answer,” she argued, much to Madlanga’s displeasure.
“You will never understand me, but please go on,” the chairperson remarked.
“I do understand you quite clearly,” Van den Heever responded.
Madlanga said: “You don’t, you don’t.”
He later asked: “What would the basis of us not continuing with those prior to the finalisation of the criminal proceedings be?”
‘Limited timespan’
Later, evidence leader Mahlape Sello argued that the arguments raised by Van den Heever had “absolutely nothing to do with the commission”.
“What this commission is interested in is its term of reference,” Sello said.
She further pointed out that anything Matlala says at the commission that could incriminate him cannot be used against him in the courts.
Sello lamented the request for a postponement, saying Matlala and his legal team had confirmed he would testify on Wednesday when his appearance was initially postponed last week.
“I listen carefully and I resist the urge to argue that this is a moving target, and each time we think we have got the target, that target is going to move. And we are continuously chasing a rabbit we cannot catch.
“Chair, I implore you and the commissioners to please put an end to this. Witnesses come here and make undertakings, [and] they give dates. We work on a very tight time schedule.”
The evidence leader highlighted that the commission would now have to rework its programme to fit Matlala into a different slot.
“All this time is in circumstances where this commission has got a limited timespan left to it.
“I am concerned about the approach being adopted by Mr Matlala’s representatives and I don’t think it is particularly appreciative of the challenges that the commission faces.”
Proceedings were adjourned for the commission’s legal team and Matlala’s lawyers to discuss a new date for his testimony.
Matlala will now testify on 1 September and will have to submit his affidavit by 29 July.
Extension
The commission was recently granted a second extension by President Cyril Ramaphosa, scrapping the 29 August 2026 deadline for submission of its final report.
The inquiry will now have until 2 October to conclude its public hearings of witness testimonies, while the final report will be submitted on 2 November.
The commission has already delivered two interim reports to the Presidency.
Several key witnesses are still expected to take the stand, including Medicare24 Holdings CEO Mike Van Wyk, businessman Suliman Carrim and senior Crime Intelligence official Feroz Khan.
