Tebogo Thobejane contacted controversial Gauteng tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala following the shooting incident, according to confirmation from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
However, the NPA said Thobejane contacted Matlala to ask him if he is the one who is behind the shooting and not to ask him for protection as alleged by Matlala.
The state prosecutor revealed this information during Matlala’s formal bail application at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Monday. The state is opposing Matlala’s bail.
Matlala was applying for bail in relation to the charges he is facing for the alleged October 17, 2023, hit on his ex-girlfriend Thobejane, a famous television actress and influencer.
During court proceedings on Monday, the prosecutor responded to Matlala’s bail affidavit presented last week wherein he said after the shooting incident, Thobejane contacted him from October 2023 until June 2024, asking for his help and protection since he is in the private security industry.
Matlala said he could not assist Thobejane because the case was still under police investigation. The tenderpreneur said he and Thobejane dated for 13 months since early 2020.
He stated that he ended their relationship in September 2021 without any animosity.
The prosecutor said it is true that Thobejane contacted Matlala after the shooting incident, but she contacted him to find out if he was responsible for the attack.
State’s case is weak
Advocate Laurance Hodes SC, Matlala’s lawyer, asserted during the bail arguments that the state’s case against Matlala is weak and that he should receive bail.
Hodes said there is no DNA evidence, fingerprints, and/or ballistic evidence linking Matlala to the hit on Thobejane, adding that Matlala can agree to a house arrest if granted bail.
The prosecutor said despite the state not having a “smoking gun” against Matlala, the state has a “strong, circumstantial case” against him.
She stated that Matlala poses a risk of escape and poses a significant threat to society.
The WhatsApp conversations between some of the accused and the bank payments prove that Matlala ordered the alleged hit on Thobejane and that he is the mastermind, the prosecutor said.
After bail arguments by the state and Hodes, Magistrate Dyta Prinsloo postponed the matter to September 17 for judgment on Matlala’s bail application.
Matlala remains in police custody after he was arrested on May 14.
Matlala stated that at the age of 25, he was convicted in 2001 by the Pretoria North Magistrate’s Court for one count of housebreaking with intent to steal and theft.
He said he was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for each count, which ran concurrently. He has no other previous convictions nor pending cases.
The state said Matlala has been arrested 11 times in the past on numerous charges ranging from attempted murder to illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Regarding his personal circumstances, Matlala (49) said he is self-employed as a director of four companies, namely CAT VIP Protection, Lux of Africa Investments (Pty) Ltd, Black AK Trading and Medi Care 24 Tshwane District (Pty) Ltd.
All four companies are based in Pretoria.
Matlala said he lives in Midstream Ridge Estate extension 65, Pretoria, with his wife, Tsakani, and their three daughters. He said he has a further six children whom he supports financially.
He said he could afford R100 000 in bail.
More dockets to be added
The state said it will add two more dockets from Pretoria (Lyttleton and Pretoria West) to the current court case of the attempted murder of Thobejane and her two friends, Anele Malinga and Khumbulani Ncube.
The two Pretoria dockets relate to the shooting of taxi billionaire Joe Sibanyoni in August 2022 outside the Centurion Golf Estate in Centurion and the shooting of Seunkie Mokubong, also known as DJ Vettys, in Pretoria West in January 2024.
The state is expected to charge Matlala with attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder with regard to the Sibanyoni and DJ Vettys shootings.
In his current case, Matlala is charged alongside his wife, Tsakani (36); two alleged hitmen, Musa Kekana (35) and Tiego Floyd Mabusela (47); and Nthabiseng Nzama (23) for the attempted murder of Thobejane.
Nzama is the daughter of Mabusela.
The five accused are facing various charges, including conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, fraud, and money laundering in connection with the alleged hit on Thobejane.
Tsakani and Nzama are out on R20 000 and R10 000 bail, respectively, while Kekana and Mabusela abandoned their bail applications. They remain in police custody.
