Suspected crime kingpin Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala appeared in court alongside 12 senior police officers amid a R360 million SAPS tender fraud investigation.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
Suspected crime kingpin Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala, who is at the centre of the R360 million tender irregularly awarded by SAPS to his company, Medicare24 Tshwane District, appeared at the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Wednesday alongside 12 senior police officers implicated in corruption and fraud related to the tender.
The senior police officers were granted bail ranging from R40,000 to R80,000, and their case was remanded to May 13 for further investigation.
Matlala, already in custody for an attempted murder case, did not apply for bail related to the tender corruption charges.
Their court appearance followed their arrest by the National Prosecuting Authority's Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) on Tuesday, which resulted from an investigation that began in 2024.
James Murray, managing director of Medicare24 Group, was among the accused and was described as one of the main instigators in the case.
Murray allegedly assisted Matlala, who is accused number one, in submitting the tender bid with false information.
Matlala allegedly made several misrepresentations about his company, Medicare24, including its physical address, technical capabilities, health infrastructure, and personnel.
The court was told that Matlala’s company should have been disqualified from the tender based on misrepresentations that caused actual prejudice amounting to over R50 million to the SAPS, National Treasury, and the country at large.
Matlala allegedly had consultation, communication, and arrangements with Captain Brian Catwright, a member of a Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC), before the tender bid process.
Brigadier Rachel Matjeng, who recently testified before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry regarding her intimate relationship with Matlala, was also among the accused. She was granted bail of R80,000.
During her appearance at the commission, she denied receiving R300,000 from Matlala as a "gratification" for assisting with his contract.
The payment to Matjeng was deposited into a bank account belonging to Osizweni Meat Market, a butcher owned by her friend Modiegi Kekana.
The court heard that Matjeng faces corruption charges related to three R100,000 transfers made on separate occasions through a concealment scheme that ultimately delivered the funds to her.
She has also been charged with money-laundering and the court heard that she must have had a relationship with Matlala for him to give her "gratification" totaling R300,000.
Matjeng is accused of doing business with Matlala by referring SAPS members for health screening.
She has been accused of violating Section 6 of Poca (Proceeds of Crime) Act which relates to the use of proceeds of unlawful activities and it also relates to R300,000.
In terms of all the accused, Matjeng has the most counts, with nine counts against her compared to the four counts against the BEC members.
Before granting the accused bail, the court noted that it takes into account that cases against them "are a very serious offence", noting that they may face long-term imprisonment if found guilty.
"There is a big public outcry concerning this type of offence, especially in the last couple of years," the court said.
The court criticised the behaviour of the high-ranking officers, saying they were supposed to serve and protect but failed to do so.
"The court was quite surprised at the reasonableness of the State to suggest bail of R40,000 and R80,000. The court was thinking the suggestion could have been much higher than what had been put before this court. But of course, the court is not going to alter that," the court said.
The court further said the plea for lenient bail amounts between R5,000 and R10,000, as suggested by the accused's lawyers, was not in the interest of justice.
The bail conditions stipulate that the accused are prohibited from intimidating or influencing witnesses in any manner, must surrender their passports to the investigating officer, and are required to notify the investigating officer at least seven days before any international travel, with their passports to be returned within 24 hours of re-entering the country.
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za