Mike van Wyk’s absence delays testimony as Madlanga commission probes suspected drug deal

The Madlanga commission was presented with fresh claims on Monday, 22 June 2026, linking tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala to alleged drug-related activities, while Mike van Wyk was unable to testify due to hospitalisation.

Van Wyk, the CEO of Medicare24, had been scheduled to appear before the commission at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria to respond to allegations against him.

Mike van Wyk testimony postponed

His legal representative, Sandy du Plessis, requested a postponement after informing the inquiry that he had been admitted for psychiatric care.

Van Wyk has been experiencing panic attacks, according to Du Plessis.

“[The psychiatrist] said to me the patient needs to be admitted to the psychiatric unit at Jakaranda Hospital,” she told the commission.

Although evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson did not oppose the delay, he warned that the commission’s timeframe, in light of the 29 August deadline, could be affected.

“We have a very real problem in that we have 30 days of evidence and if we lose today that’s one out of 30 days we will have lost,” Chaskalson said.

Chairperson Mbuyiseli Madlanga approved the postponement, allowing proceedings to continue in Van Wyk’s absence, with an opportunity for him to respond later.

Madlanga commission hears WhatsApp evidence

Central to the day’s testimony were WhatsApp exchanges between Van Wyk and Matlala, covering the period from December 2024 to May 2025.

One exchange from 7 February 2025 referenced a news report about raids by the Independent Directorate Against Corruption (Idac) targeting senior police officials.

Van Wyk described the development as “not good”.

Matlala responded: “It’s actually good. My person is going to be a national commissioner now.”

Van Wyk replied: “I remember you told me something like that.”

Chaskalson noted that Van Wyk’s statement claimed he had never met any senior police officers.

“Mr Vusi Matlala made it clear on many occasions he had contact with these high-ranking officials, but never mentioned their names,” the affidavit read.

Financial dealings

Further scrutiny was placed on financial exchanges between the two men.

Investigators presented WhatsApp messages showing a photograph of bundles of R200 notes in a brown paper bag allegedly sent by Van Wyk.

In his affidavit, Van Wyk maintained that the money was legitimate casino winnings totalling R200 000 and claimed he could provide proof.

However, he denied sending the image to Matlala.

Chaskalson described the denial as “odd”.

“I think he is suggesting that this section of the WhatsApp messages is tampered with, even though it accurately reflects a photograph of money that he won at a casino,” the evidence leader said.

Blue lights

The commission has also been investigating the relationship between Van Wyk, Matlala and Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi.

Matlala operates a Medicare24 franchise, while also running a private security company, CAT VIP Protection.

Both entities were allowed to establish an unofficial relationship with the EMPD, a process facilitated by Mkhwanazi.

The arrangement resulted in blue lights being fitted to several of Matlala’s private vehicles, including BMWs and a Mercedes-Benz V-Class registered with the City of Ekurhuleni.

Evidence presented included a video clip in which Van Wyk is seen holding cash, while addressing Mkhwanazi.

In an audio recording, Wyk asks Mkhwanazi whether blue lights and EMPD branding can be installed on his personal vehicle.

On Monday, Chaskalson suggested that a video of Van Wyk fanning himself with cash may have been used to influence Mkhwanazi.

He pointed to a December 2021 message in which Mkhwanazi stated he would “push” for approval.

“How we understand those messages is that he would push to get the blue lights sorted tomorrow and Mr Van Wyk has motivated his case very well with the video,” the evidence leader remarked.

He further alleged that Van Wyk may have provided Mkhwanazi with live emus, reportedly transported in a Medicare24 ambulance, as a bribe.

Cocaine ‘deal’ emerges from Cat Matlala chat records

The most serious allegations arose from messages dated 6 April 2025, which appear to show discussions about a cocaine transaction.

Matlala sent Van Wyk a video depicting five bricks of cocaine branded “Prestige” with a crown symbol being weighed.

In accompanying texts, he requested assistance in negotiating a price.

“Get me a good price,” Matlala’s message read.

Van Wyk responded via voice note: “we’ll go in at 250”.

This audio message was then forwarded by Matlala to a third party.

According to Chaskalson, subsequent discussions with that third party involved discussions about the same video and price negotiations ranging from R300 000 to R350 000.

Van Wyk denied receiving the video and claimed it may have been planted on his phone.

However, Chaskalson disputed this, saying it was confirmed that Van Wyk’s voice note and the video clip were authentic.

“As I have confirmed, we have tracked down the third party. We interviewed the third party, took a statement from the third party and the third party admits he sent the video to Mr Matlala,” Chaskalson said.

“The third party of course didn’t realise that Mr Matlala had forwarded the video onto Mr Van Wyk.”

He added that tampering with WhatsApp records without detection would be impossible.

Chaskalson concluded that the exchanges appeared to amount to a “cocaine sale”.

The commission was told earlier that forensic findings confirmed the substance in the bricks to be cocaine.

In support of this, an affidavit from a South African Police Service (Saps) official revealed that forensic analysis confirmed the seizure of similar one-kilogramme cocaine bricks in July 2025.

Three of these blocks bore the same “Prestige” imprint.

However, Chaskalson clarified there is no direct link between those drugs and the video evidence beyond the shared branding.