JUST IN | 'Cat' Matala to face trial alone in R360 million SAPS tender
Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala will face a separate trial from 12 SAPS officers in the R360 million Medicare24 tender case.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala's fraud and corruption trial has been separated from that of his co-accused at the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.
The alleged tender fraudster faces charges linked to the irregular awarding of a SAPS health services contract to his company, Medicare24 Tshwane District.
The contract was advertised for R360m.
The state said the amount actually awarded and paid out was R228m.
It said the contract should never have been granted.
The NPA's Investigating Directorate arrested Matlala and 12 senior police officers in March.
The contract was awarded in June 2024 and cancelled in May 2025 after an internal audit flagged serious irregularities.
By then, Matlala had allegedly received just over R50m from SAPS.
His co-accused include suspended National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Fannie Masemola, who faces charges of contravening the Public Finance Management Act.
Also in the dock are Medicare24 Group managing director James Murray and police officers Major-General Busi Temba, Brigadier Rachelle Matjeng, Brigadier Ofentse Tlhoaele, Brigadier Kistey Jonker, Brigadier Thembinkosi Ngema, Colonel Nehemiah Maleka, Colonel Johannes Monyai, Captain Brian Cartwright, Colonel Anthony Paulsen, Brigadier Petunia Lenono, Colonel Nonjabulo Mngadi, and Brigadier Patrick Nethengwe.
Matlala remains in custody.
His co-accused are on bail of between R40,000 and R80,000.
Matlala also faces a separate attempted murder trial — involving 25 charges, including 11 counts of attempted murder — set to begin in July.
Matlala is due in the Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Thursday.
IOL News
