Cele to address alleged ‘Cat’ Matlala ties only before Madlanga commission, parliament
Former Police Minister Bheki Cele vows to address Matlala ties only before Madlanga Commission or Parliament amid damning financial allegations..
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Former Police Minister Bheki Cele said he will only reveal his alleged ties to businessman and underworld tycoon, Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, before the Madlanga Commission or Parliament’s ad hoc committee.
Cele spoke to the media on the sidelines of the memorial service of the late SA ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) on Friday.
Mthethwa, 58, died after falling from the 22nd floor of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Paris last month.
During the interview, Cele emphasised that he will only address the allegations against him through the right channels.
“There are two platforms to talk about that… I am sure I have been touched by Madlanga people, they haven’t invited me, but the ad hoc has invited, so those are the platforms,” he said.
This comes after a string of shocking statements made before the committee by witnesses, including KZN Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who claimed that WhatsApp messages from Matlala's phone revealed correspondence with Police Minister Bheki Cele and financial transactions going back to December 2024.
Matlala’s company, Medicare24 Tshwane District, was awarded a R360 million SAPS health risk management tender.
The contract was later cancelled after investigators uncovered evidence of fraud and non-performance.
Additional reports claim that Cele stayed in a luxury Pretoria apartment owned by Matlala shortly before the contract was approved.
IOL reported about Mkhwanazi’s testimony on Wednesday, where he told committee members that Cele sent Matlala a bank account number—not in Cele’s name—and Matlala then deposited money into that account.
He later sent proof of payment to Cele, who acknowledged receipt.
“This is not just about phone calls. It's about money. It’s criminal,” said Mkhwanazi.
“The communication dates back to 2024. We are tracking where the money went after the deposit—whether it returned to Cele or reached someone else.”
Cele is expected to appear before the committee to explain his side of the story.
Meanwhile, Mthethwa’s body has arrived in South Africa from France. He will be buried this weekend in KZN.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
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