ALLEGED cartel leader Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala has admitted paying former deputy national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya R500 000, but insists the money was to help with his son’s wedding in North West and not a bribe.
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The admission came during the sitting of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday, 10 November.
Matlala was pressed about the payment and his earlier statements to investigators.
However, his latest testimony contradicted what he told the commission a day earlier.
On Monday, 9 November, Matlala denied giving Sibiya R500 000 and maintained that the only money he had given him was R50 000.
“I didn’t give Sibiya any money except a 50k I gave him when we were at the SAPS awards,” he told the commission.
He also questioned the reliability of his earlier account, saying: “Honestly, I wasn’t myself then. I was sick.”
But on Tuesday, Matlala acknowledged the R500 000 payment, explaining that it was intended as a contribution towards Sibiya’s son’s wedding.
He insisted the money wasn’t connected to anything sinister.
Asked about the payment, he said he didn’t want to disclose too much but maintained that “the money was not for another thing”.
Matlala denied the money was paid to secure the R228 million South African Police Service (SAPS) health services tender awarded to his company, Medicare24.
He separately maintained that the R50 000 was given to Sibiya for his travel costs to the SAPS Excellence Awards in KZN, disputing claims that it was handed over as a bribe at Sibiya’s office.
The questioning became tense when Commissioner Baloyi confronted Matlala over his reluctance to answer questions, accusing him of “wasting the commission’s time”.
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Matlala also challenged the authenticity of a typed witness statement bearing his signature, alleging it contained fabricated information.
He suggested that Investigating Directorate Against Corruption chief investigator Dylan Perumal had inserted the bribery allegation into the statement.
In further allegations, Matlala claimed investigators took him to the Sheraton Pretoria Hotel and a local McDonald’s instead of returning him to prison while preparing the statement.
He alleged investigators offered witness protection for his family if he implicated senior police officials.
Matlala also accused Sibiya of threatening his wife, Tsakani, over his intended disclosures to Parliament’s ad hoc committee.
The commission continues.
