Controversial tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala is set to bring a formal bail application next Tuesday in relation to the charges he is facing for the alleged hit on famous television actress and influencer Tebogo Thobejane.
This information was revealed on Tuesday at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court when Matlala (49); his wife, Tsakani (36); two alleged hitmen, Musa Kekana (35) and Tiego Floyd Mabusela (47); and Nthabiseng Nzama (23) made an appearance in connection with the attempted murder.
Nzama is the daughter of one of the alleged hitmen.
The five accused are facing several charges, including attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the alleged hit on Thobejane.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, the state requested that the matter be postponed so that it could prepare for Matlala’s bail application and allow for the centralisation of two dockets received from Pretoria, in which the accused were implicated.
State to oppose bail
Magistrate Renier Boshoff rescheduled the matter for Matlala’s bail application to September 2. The state has made it clear that it will oppose the application.
Boshoff also postponed the matter to October 7 for the five accused to appear for the centralisation of their cases and for the matter to be transferred to the Johannesburg High Court.
Tsakani and Nzama are out on R20 000 and R10 000 bail, respectively, while Kekana, Mabusela, and Matlala remain in police custody.
Kekana and Mabusela have since abandoned their bail applications.
As far as their charges are concerned, Kekana faces a charge of conspiracy to commit murder, three charges for attempted murder, a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm, and a charge of unlawful possession of ammunition.
Mabusela faces one count of conspiracy to commit murder, three counts of attempted murder, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm, one count of unlawful possession of ammunition, two counts of money laundering, one count of fraud, and one count of an attempt to defeat the administration of justice (alternative to the fraud charge).
Conspiracy to commit murder
Matlala is charged with conspiracy to commit murder, three counts of attempted murder, two counts of money laundering, one count of fraud, and one count of an attempt to defeat the administration of justice (alternative to the fraud charge).
Tsakani faces three charges of attempted murder as an accessory after the fact, a charge of money laundering, a charge of fraud, and a charge of an attempt to defeat the administration of justice (alternative to the fraud charge).
Nzama faces a charge of money laundering. The state alleges that he facilitated money transfers between accounts, fully aware that it originated from criminal activities.
The three counts of attempted murder are in connection with the injuries sustained by Thobejane and her friends Anele Malinga and Ncube Khumbulani from the alleged hit.
The state alleges that the accused committed the various crimes between October 12, 2023, and October 17, 2023, during which the accused allegedly conspired to kill Thobejane.
The state further alleges that they opened fire on Thobejane and her two friends.
Money laundering
“It is alleged that the accused laundered over R120 000 linked to the murder plot and submitted a fraudulent invoice in an attempt to conceal the origin of the funds and mislead the court,” said Phindi Mjonondwane, the regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority.
Thobejane and her friends were ambushed on the N1 highway near Sandton, and their car was sprayed with a hail of bullets in October 2023.
Thobejane, who acted in the Tshivenda soap opera Muvhango, was shot in the foot, while one of her friends sustained a bullet wound to the spinal cord.
Thobejane has recuperated, but one of her friends is still languishing in hospital, facing the prospect of never being able to walk again.
It is not known why Matlala allegedly wanted Thobejane dead, but Sunday World understands they are ex-lovers.
Mkhwanazi’s explosive claims
Meanwhile, in a media briefing on July 6, KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said Matlala was awarded a South African Police Service (SAPS) tender worth more than R360-million in 2024.
Mkhwanazi went on to say that on May 13, national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola cancelled the SAPS tender awarded to Matlala.
The tender award was cancelled a day before Matlala’s arrest for his alleged role in Thobejane’s attempted murder.
Mkhwanazi stated that he possesses WhatsApp communications between Matlala and Mr Brown Mogotsi, a comrade of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, which allegedly discuss Mogotsi’s efforts to persuade Mchunu and deputy national police commissioner for crime detection, Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya, to interfere with and suppress the police investigations into Matlala.
He said he has proof of payment showing that Matlala funded the ANC’s political activities and events at Mchunu and Mogotsi.
Mkhwanazi said he believes that Mchunu and Sibiya decided to disband the KZN political killings task team because it raided Matlala’s home in 2024 and was making inroads in certain Gauteng cases.
