Lt. General Mkhwanazi’s Claims: Vusi ‘Cat’ Matlala Appears in Court on Fraud and Other Charges

Johannesburg – Businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, believed to have ties to Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, faced various accusations, including attempted murder and fraud, during his hearing at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court.

On Sunday, 6 July 2025, KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, implicated Police Minister Senzo Mchunu in a corruption scandal.

Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi asserted that WhatsApp communications in his possession linked Minister Mchunu, his associate Brown Mogotsi, and Matlala, who is charged with attempted murder.

Matlala was granted a police tender worth nearly R400 million, which has since been revoked.

On Friday, 11 July 2025, Matlala appeared at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court alongside his partner, Tsakani Matlala, and co-defendants Musa Kekana and Tiego Floyd Mabusela.

The defendants are confronting charges that include attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, fraud, and attempting to obstruct justice.

These allegations stem from purported events in Johannesburg between 12 and 17 October 2023, during which the accused allegedly conspired to murder Tebogo Thobejane.

Thobejane’s vehicle was attacked by gunmen on the N1 highway near Sandton.

This assault was allegedly a hit intended to intimidate Thobejane following her departure from a toxic relationship with Vusimuzi.

While Thobejane was unharmed, her friend incurred serious injuries and continues to face mobility challenges.

The State contends that the accused fired upon Thobejane and two additional victims.

Moreover, it is said that they laundered over R120,000 linked to the murder plot and submitted a fake invoice to conceal the origins of the funds and deceive the court.

The defense requested the State to disclose specific sections of the docket; however, the Magistrate denied this request.

The State requested a postponement to allow for the consolidation of two additional dockets from Pretoria in which the accused are implicated and to facilitate the transfer of the case to the High Court of South Africa in Johannesburg.

The court has postponed the hearings for Matlala until 26 August 2025.

The businessman and two of his co-defendants remain in custody, while Tsakani Matlala has been released on bail.