Pretoria – South Africa’s parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee probing allegations raised by KwaZulu Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi will continue its investigation tomorrow, Wednesday 26 November 2025, with proceedings moving into the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre in Pretoria. The case has drawn attention across the region, including in Eswatini, given its focus on governance and public sector accountability.
The committee will question businessman Vusimuzi Cat Matlala, who is linked to suspected fraudulent transactions connected to the Tembisa Hospital scandal. Matlala was arrested in April for allegedly orchestrating the attempted murder of his former partner, actress Tebogo Thobejane, in 2023 and remains in custody after being denied bail.
Committee members will also hear testimony from the South African Police Service’s Chief Financial Officer and the Deputy National Commissioner for Policing, Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane.
Earlier testimony revealed concerns about how Matlala’s company secured a R360 million health services contract. A former SAPS employee involved in awarding the contract later joined Medicare24 Contract Tshwane District, a business owned by Matlala.
SAPS Head of Supply Chain Management, Molefe Fani, told the committee he had no personal connection to the former employee. Asked whether the employee’s move into Matlala’s company suggested possible corruption, Fani said the situation raised questions that needed to be investigated thoroughly.
An audit initiated by South Africa’s Police Minister Senzo Mchunu found irregularities in the tender. The company had a franchise agreement with another firm sharing the same address, but the agreement was unsigned and could not be relied upon during the bidding process. The audit also noted that no due diligence had been conducted despite reports linking Matlala to an alleged R2 billion looting at Tembisa Hospital.
In May 2024, the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption contacted National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, warning that a company connected to Matlala was bidding without a tax clearance certificate and had been blacklisted.
Fani, who chairs the Bid Adjudication Committee, said he was not aware of any concerns raised by IDAC. He confirmed that neither he nor any committee members made declarations relating to the contract and said he had no prior knowledge of Matlala beyond general media reports. He added that Matlala and his company were not restricted from doing business when the tender was awarded.
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