MADLANGA COMMISSION: Collapsed ‘Cat’ Matlala plea deal exposes alleged Idac plot against Mkhwanazi allies

Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala returned to the Madlanga Commission for day three of his testimony, where he explained that Idac investigators were waiting for him to accept a plea and sentencing agreement, but the arrangement fell through when he refused to accept its terms.

The proposed deal related to the controversial R228-million SAPS Medicare24 contract case. Matlala had initially agreed to plead guilty to seven charges and receive a 15-year sentence, with seven years suspended — effectively eight years in prison — in exchange for turning State witness and implicating senior police officials.

Matlala told the commission that, while being transported to court on 13 July 2026, Idac officials phoned their superior to report that he would accept the deal. “I played along and told them that I would accept the plea deal,” he testified.

He alleged that investigators told him their boss was depending on the agreement to proceed with the arrests of several senior police officers.

On that day, former Idac head Andrea Johnson was also scheduled to appear before the Madlanga Commission, but was taken ill and reportedly suffered a panic attack.

Matlala’s testimony on Wednesday was a continuation of allegations against Idac that began on Monday, 9 November 2026, when he accused suspended chief investigator Dylan Perumal and senior investigator Brian Padayachee of pressuring him into signing the agreement. He also alleged that his statement, commissioned by suspended senior investigator Suneel Bellochun on 14 June 2026, was altered three or four times by Perumal to suit the investigators’ version.

Matlala went further, telling the commission that more serious allegations concerning alleged wrongdoing within Idac and SAPS could not be aired publicly because of security concerns. His legal team and the commission’s evidence leaders agreed that the information should instead be submitted in an affidavit and addressed at another forum.

Meanwhile, Perumal was taken ill on Friday, 6 November, amid widespread social media reports that he had attempted suicide. On Tuesday, NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the authority had been in contact with Perumal’s family and could confirm that he had fallen ill and was in hospital.

Idac allegedly tailored Matlala’s statement to target police top brass 

Matlala also claimed that Idac investigators tailored his Section 204 statement to implicate senior police officials, including National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo.

At the centre of his allegations is an apparent discrepancy between versions of his statement concerning the removal of Khumalo from Crime Intelligence.

In his Section 204 statement, the allegation was that sidelined police minister Senzo Mchunu wanted Khumalo removed and General Feroz Khan installed in his place. This broadly corresponds with Matlala’s evidence before Parliament’s ad hoc committee, although there was a significant difference.

In his parliamentary testimony, Matlala said former police minister Bheki Cele had told him that Mchunu wanted to remove Khumalo and install his own people. There was, however, no reference to General Khan being lined up as Khumalo’s replacement.

Matlala also challenged paragraph 87 of his Section 204 statement, which reads: “I then took the opportunity to speak to Cele about the looming problem I had been experiencing with the SAPS Medicare contract. Cele said that he would come up to Pretoria and that he would sort out the problem regarding the contract.”

He told the commission that this account was false, insisting that he had never spoken to Cele about the contract and alleging that the paragraph had been tailored by Idac.

‘Idac’s arrest list’

Asked why investigators had allegedly introduced Cele into the Medicare contract narrative, Matlala said Idac wanted to arrest Lieutenant General Simo Chamane, head of SAPS Legal Services.

“There were a lot of people that Idac wanted to arrest. Their main target was Masemola, Mkhwanazi, Khumalo. Others, Cele, all the BAC [Bid Adjudication Committee] members. They needed to substantiate why they arrested them. Hence the statement that there was money paid to them. There was no such thing,” Matlala testified.

Another contentious point was the allegation in Matlala’s statement that Cele and Khumalo had met at OR Tambo International Airport, which Matlala disputed.

Matlala recalled that after he was booked out of C-Max prison, investigators rushed to the airport and sought Khumalo’s travel movements. He disputed that he had identified Khumalo as the person Cele was allegedly meeting.

“I've never said Cele was going to meet Khumalo at the airport. I told them that Cele called someone, and that someone I never identified, and they said it was Khumalo,” he testified.

Matlala further denied the account that he had arranged for money to be delivered to Khumalo, allegedly involving a trip to OR Tambo International Airport and the handing over of cash to the general.

Evidence leader advocate Thabang Pooe then questioned Matlala about whether Idac had explained why it wanted to arrest the senior police officials.

Matlala said that, from what he had heard, Mkhwanazi was the main target. Investigators wanted to strip him of his support base before dealing with him directly.

He identified Masemola and other senior officers as part of that support base.

Matlala’s shifting story on Cele: R500,000 paid, R1-million demanded and a R6-million house 

Matlala accused former police minister Bheki Cele of greed, alleging that he repeatedly demanded money in exchange for helping resolve his firearms problems and facilitating access to KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

Under questioning by evidence leader Pooe, Matlala disputed paragraph 94 of his Section 204 statement, which records that Cele offered to help resolve problems with the SAPS Medicare contract in exchange for R1-million. Matlala claimed Idac had exaggerated the account, insisting that the money Cele wanted was for assistance with his firearms problem.

He testified that he handed Cele R200,000 in cash at his Pretoria apartment, in the presence of Sphamandla Mabonga, who was allegedly acting as an intermediary. Matlala claimed that Idac had inserted the paragraph recording the payment. However, the R200,000 transaction does appear in notes made by commission investigator Bongani Dlamini during a meeting with Matlala.

The payment amounts differ from Matlala’s earlier testimony before Parliament’s ad hoc committee. He told advocate Norman Arendse that the first payment, made in January 2025, was R300,000. He said Cele had asked for R1-million, but he could only afford R300,000. A further R200,000 payment would bring the alleged total to R500,000.

Matlala claimed the demands escalated. He alleged that Cele later wanted R6-million to buy a house in KwaZulu-Natal, where he intended to retire. Mabonga, whose father was reportedly close to Cele, initially communicated the requests. Matlala said he dealt directly with Cele only after Mabonga’s death in March 2025.

Describing one conversation, Matlala claimed Cele complained that he had helped him, but was receiving no appreciation. When Matlala offered accommodation, Cele allegedly responded that it would not pay his bills and indicated that R1-million would be appreciated.

The alleged demands also brought the discussion back to Mkhwanazi. Evidence leader Pooe questioned whether Cele’s promise to facilitate a meeting with Mkhwanazi was connected to Matlala’s difficulties with the Medicare contract.

Matlala said he believed that access to Mkhwanazi would help resolve his problems. He described Cele as operating like a “jukebox” — suggesting that payment was expected in return for assistance.

It was put to Matlala that the proposed introduction to Mkhwanazi would have been intended to secure assistance with the Medicare contract. Matlala agreed that the connection was relevant, saying that if Mkhwanazi could be brought into the matter, his problems might be resolved.

The day ended with questions hanging over the nature of Matlala’s dealings with Cele. His account shifted from trying to secure assistance with his firearms, to access to Mkhwanazi and help with the Medicare24 contract. The commission will have to establish whether these were separate arrangements or part of a broader attempt to secure influence within the SAPS. DM