Matlala to testify before Ad Hoc committee on Wednesday

Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee has confirmed that attempted-murder accused Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala will testify as scheduled on Wednesday.

Committee chair, Soviet Lekganyane, said proceedings will begin at 11am and could extend over several days.

“As it stands now, we are here this week to feature Mr. Matlala together with his legal representative. They are available. The announcement we made here is that they have requested that we start at 11,” Lekganyane said.

“Mr. Matlala is available to meet with us from tomorrow, Thursday, and probably Friday if we will not be done by Thursday. So it’s all systems go,” he added.

Matlala, who is in police custody and faces charges including attempted murder, allegedly masterminded the botched assassination of his ex-girlfriend, Tebogo Thobejane, among other offences. He has also been implicated in several misconduct incidents within the South African Police Service (SAPS), reportedly using financial influence to advance his position.

The alleged underworld kingpin, Matlala, indicated earlier through his legal team that he needs more time to prepare for his appearance before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee.

– Legal team requests adjournment –

Through his legal representatives, Matlala requested more time to prepare for his appearance, citing difficulties gathering evidence while in detention. His lawyers highlighted poor network coverage and inadequate consultation facilities at C-Max prison, along with concerns over his physical and mental health, which they say have been negatively affected since his admission to Kgosi Mampuru.

They have asked the committee to adjourn until further notice to allow Matlala to complete his affidavit prior to testifying and threatened legal action if their request is denied.

– SAPS CFO raises concerns over irregular expenditure –

Meanwhile, SAPS Chief Financial Officer Lieutenant General, Puleng Dimpane, testified before the committee at Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Facility, raising concerns about a persistent culture of unchecked irregular expenditure within the police service.

“The ongoing trend of unaccounted-for irregular expenditure is deeply worrying and will continue as long as proper consequence management is absent,” Dimpane said. “She added that past investigations into suspicious transactions yielded no punitive measures, describing the lack of accountability as an embarrassment.”

Dimpane disclosed that the Auditor-General has flagged a deficit of R2.4 billion over four years that remains unexplained. She also noted that when she became CFO in 2019, the department had already under-disclosed irregular expenditure totaling around R900 million.

– PKTT disbandment not her decision –

Dimpane further addressed claims regarding the dissolution of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT). Suspended Minister Senzo Mchunu previously stated that financial pressure led to the unit’s disbandment. Dimpane clarified that she was never consulted regarding the PKTT budget and dismissed claims that she advocated for its closure.

“I was shocked when this information was used as evidence to suggest I endorsed the disbandment of the PKTT. It was taken out of context. I did not give anyone permission, nor provide any document, to support such claims,” she said.

Dimpane confirmed that R435 million was spent on the task team over six years and that she had repeatedly advised the National Commissioner, Fannie Masemola, that the PKTT’s work warranted permanence and a dedicated budget. She only learned of the team’s dissolution on 2 January, when she read about it online.

Written by: Odirile Rabalao