Vusimuzi Matlala Testifies Before Madlanga Commission on Business Ties and Cartel Allegations

Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala provided testimony before the Madlanga Commission regarding his business relationships with figures linked to procurement scandals and an alleged criminal network known as the Big Five cartel. During his testimony, Matlala detailed a joint medical equipment business he operated with Hangwani Morgan Maumela starting around 2018 or 2019. Matlala stated that the two pooled money into a revolving fund to pursue Gauteng Department of Health requests for quotations, sharing profits calculated at 10 percent. This evidence is significant because Maumela is a central figure in a Special Investigating Unit probe into more than R2 billion in irregular payments at Tembisa Hospital, a scandal linked to the 2021 assassination of whistleblower Babita Deokaran. Three of Matlala's companies allegedly secured R13.5 million through a corrupt network involving Maumela.

Matlala also addressed his alleged connections to the Big Five cartel, a structured criminal network reportedly linked to state institutions and politicians. While Matlala denied having a close relationship with alleged cartel leaders Jotham "Mswazi" Msibi and Steven Motsumi, he conceded to certain dealings. He admitted to attempting to jointly purchase an aircraft with Msibi and acknowledged that Motsumi lent his companies R20 million in start up capital for a Medicare24 contract. Despite WhatsApp chats suggesting a deeper connection, Matlala maintained that his relationship with Msibi was primarily that of a security service provider. He further testified that his interactions with Motsumi were limited to business transactions.