Alleged Underworld Figure Cat Matlala Claims IDAC Misused Him

Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala, an alleged underworld figure, testified before the Madlanga Commission that he was taken from his prison cell in Kokstad and driven to a hotel in Pretoria by Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) officials. They allegedly asked him to help build cases against top police officials, including General Masemola. Matlala claims he was served with a warrant of arrest and later offered a confession by IDAC investigators, stating they were not after him but needed to arrest him to get to the people they wanted.

Matlala's account includes details of two instances where he was taken from prison and driven to Pretoria. On one occasion, he was taken to the Sheraton Hotel, where he met a man referred to as "chief". He claims investigators asked him to provide information on "these generals" and handed him a phone to call one of them. Matlala says he deliberately used a straight call so that his conversation could be corroborated. This statement provides a trail that the commission can follow, including cellular call records, hotel registers, and prison booking signatures.

Matlala's testimony also concerns a statement he claims he was made to give at IDAC's offices. He says he was booked out of prison on a Friday and Saturday and taken to IDAC's offices, where he had limited time to consult with his lawyers. A junior from his lawyer's office was present and photographed proceedings on her phone. Matlala claims investigators asked him about a particular individual, but when he mentioned allegations against that person, they dismissed them as lies and refused to write down his statement.

Matlala claims that a state prosecutor offered him a deal, stating that if he went to the commission, the worst consequence would be six months, which could be served concurrently with any other sentence. When he rejected the offer, the prosecutor warned that things could be made hard for him. Matlala's lawyer, Annelene van den Heever, also testified before the commission, stating that IDAC investigators approached her for evidence in the Medicare24 matter, leading to a plea deal signed off by IDAC head Andrea Johnson.

The allegations made by Matlala are significant, as they suggest that IDAC may have misused him to build cases against top police officials. This would be a serious breach of trust and potentially undermine the legitimacy of the investigations. The commission's findings have already raised questions about the conduct of IDAC investigators, including the resignation of Andrea Johnson and the criticism of Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.

The case against Matlala and others, including National Police Commissioner General Masemola, has been ongoing. Matlala's plea deal, which was for an eight-year sentence in return for testimony, collapsed in court in July after a proposed twelve-year term. The developments in this case have raised concerns about the use of prisoners as witnesses and the potential for coercion or manipulation.

The Madlanga Commission's investigation into IDAC's conduct is ongoing, and Matlala's testimony is a significant development in the case. The commission's findings will likely have implications for the future of IDAC and the investigation into corruption within the South African police.

Key points

• Matlala alleges IDAC misused him to build cases against top police officials.
• Matlala claims he was offered a deal by a state prosecutor in exchange for his testimony.
• The allegations against IDAC have raised concerns about the use of prisoners as witnesses and potential coercion or manipulation.