Madlanga Commission: Witness reveals 'Cat' Matlala accessed President Ramaphosa's confidential ID numbers

WhatsApp chats presented before the Madlanga Commission suggest that attempted murder-accused tenderpreneur Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala had access to and circulated confidential information, including that of what appeared to be President Cyril Ramaphosa’s multiple identity document numbers.

These were some of the explosive details shared by Witness X on Tuesday, who picked up from where the divisional commissioner of Crime Intelligence, Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo, left off before he fell ill at the Madlanga Commission this week. 

The confidential information the witness alluded to included a secret recording of an internal audit meeting within the SAPS, documents concerning a complaint related to alleged kidnapping, extortion, and assault, among others.

These were between the KwaZulu-Natal head of the Hawks, Major General Lesetja Senona, and Matlala. 

Senona, alongside Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi (Ekurhuleni Metro boss), Calvin Rafadi (crime expert), Suleiman Carrim (businessman and ANC member), and Brown Mogotsi, was named by Khumalo during his testimony in September as having an alleged beneficial relationship with Matlata, and set out that he would deliver chats between individuals.

The benefits for Senona, according to Witness X’s testimony, include Matlala facilitating a purchase of a property for Senona’s son, Thato. 

“On 6 February 2025, Mr Matlala sends Senona a video clip which appears to be a secret recording of an internal audit meeting within SAPS, in which the speaker is heard to say that the non-performance process has started. It sounds to me that the voice belongs to Lt Gen Nkhoa. The contract in question appears to be that of Mr Matlala’s company, Medicare 24 Tshwane (Pty) Ltd. Mr Matlala is the sole shareholder of this company,” Witness X stated.

On 10 March 2025, Senona forwarded a series of documents to Matlala concerning a complaint by two incarcerated individuals against a private security company and officers within SAPS, the witness stated.

“The complaint is quite convoluted but relates to alleged kidnapping, extortion, and assault. The significance of this transmission of information to Mr Matlala is unclear at this stage,” Witness X said. 

On 13 April 2025, Matlala forwarded three documents to Senona. They included the results of a LexisNexis Windeed search on the Senzo and Thembeka Mchunu Foundation, what appears to be multiple identity numbers for President Ramaphosa, and a news article from 5 August 2019, reporting allegations of tender fraud in a local municipality in the North West regarding the procurement of a fleet of vehicles from the KSP Group, apparently a construction and engineering company.

Witness X noted that the significance of this transmission of information to Matlala is unclear at this stage.

“A document titled ‘MemoBizztracers2April2020’ containing information relating to what appears to be multiple identity numbers for President Ramaphosa. The ‘Strictly Confidential’ memo includes recommendations for the destruction of company records ‘at CIPRO, SARS and Courts’, of ‘Computer main-frame files encapsulating the abovementioned sensitive information’ and to ‘close the Bank Account linked to the Identity Documents which are in question. Except the common Identity Number[redacted].’ Bizztracers is a company registered to Mr Rafadi, a person with whom Mr Matlala also has a relationship. The provenance of this document and the significance of this transmission of information to Mr Matlala is unclear at this stage,” Witness X stated.

Regarding Carrim, Matlala allegedly shared a screenshot of an internal SAPS finance software screen, which captures payments of invoices by supplier. This was on 3 February 2025, and the screen reflected the supplier as Medicare24 Tshwane, and listed payment dates and amounts paid to the supplier. 

According to the screenshot, payments were made on 31 January 2025, and deposits were due to reflect four days later on 4 February 2025. The total amount paid reflects as R2 586 007.62.

On Thursday, the witness delivered their testimony in camera and will continue to do so on Friday.

Advocate Matthew Chaskalson SC, the chief evidence leader of the Madlanga Commission, explained that the evidence being held behind closed doors on Thursday and Friday had nothing to do with the identity of the witness, but rather the evidence itself.

He added that public disclosure at this stage could compromise police investigations that are already at an advanced stage, highlighting that the commission’s work often overlaps with parallel police probes, which makes strategic confidentiality essential.  

For comments and tip-offs, email: 

gcwalisile.khanyile@inl.co.za