Matlala Resumes Testimony on Business Ties
Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala returned to the Madlanga Commission on Tuesday to continue his testimony, providing further details regarding his professional associations and business activities. The alleged cartel boss appeared before the commission to address inquiries about his relationship with Hangwani Morgan Maumela, describing how their connection evolved from a shared hobby into commercial partnerships.
Matlala testified that he and Maumela first met around 2015 or 2016. According to Matlala, the initial basis for their acquaintance was a mutual interest in sports cars. He stated that the two men would occasionally meet at restaurants in Sandton, where they discussed their vehicles.
"We had a passion for sports cars… That’s how we knew each other," Matlala told the commission. He described this phase of their association as being driven by a shared enthusiasm for high-performance automobiles before their interests shifted toward financial matters.
Transition to Commercial Ventures
Matlala explained that the nature of his relationship with Maumela later moved into the business sector. He testified that the pair invested in projects together and shared profits from these ventures. This description of their commercial collaboration forms a key part of the evidence being presented at the commission.
During his testimony, Matlala addressed the procurement activities of companies linked to both him and Maumela. He told the commission that entities associated with the two men received numerous Requests for Quotations from the Gauteng Department of Health for medical consumables. Matlala noted that these requests occurred over a period of time, with the last known requests coming around 2018 or 2019.
When asked about the volume of these procurement opportunities, Matlala stated, "There were quite a lot." This testimony places their business dealings within the context of a wider investigation into alleged corruption in Gauteng’s health procurement system.
Rejection of Claims Regarding Police Official
In addition to detailing his business relationship with Maumela, Matlala addressed allegations concerning his association with suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner General Shadrack Sibiya. On Monday, Matlala rejected claims that he had a close personal relationship with Sibiya.
Matlala told the commission that Sibiya was merely "someone that I knew" and not a friend. This clarification serves to distance his personal network from high-ranking law enforcement officials in the context of the ongoing investigations.
Context of Health Procurement Investigation
The testimony provided by Matlala is part of a broader scrutiny of procurement practices within the Gauteng Department of Health. The department previously employed whistleblower Babita Deokaran, who had uncovered suspicious payments worth more than R850 million at Tembisa Hospital.
Deokaran raised concerns about companies allegedly benefiting from irregular procurement processes. She was gunned down outside her Johannesburg home on August 23, 2021, after pushing for an urgent forensic investigation into the suspicious payments she had identified. Her death and the subsequent investigations have highlighted the risks associated with exposing alleged corruption in the province's health sector.
Matlala’s current testimony links his business activities directly to this environment of alleged irregularities. By detailing the receipt of Requests for Quotations from the Gauteng Department of Health, Matlala has provided specific timelines and mechanisms for how companies linked to him may have participated in the procurement system under investigation.
Whistleblower Legacy and Ongoing Scrutiny
The focus on medical consumables and the involvement of multiple entities in receiving quotations underscores the complexity of the procurement landscape that Deokaran sought to expose. The commission’s examination of these transactions aims to determine the extent to which irregularities influenced the awarding of contracts.
Matlala’s return to the stand follows his earlier statements regarding his professional associations. His detailed account of meeting Maumela through sports cars and subsequently engaging in joint investments provides a narrative timeline for the commission to evaluate against other evidence regarding Gauteng health procurement.
The investigation continues as the commission reviews these accounts against the backdrop of Deokaran’s findings and her tragic death. The testimony establishes specific dates, locations, and types of business interactions that are central to the allegations being examined by the Madlanga Commission.