In a dramatic testimony that has sent shockwaves through the political establishment, a businessman currently behind bars has alleged that former Police Minister Bheki Cele requested a staggering R1 million (approximately US$53,000) as a form of gratitude for his official assistance. The claims were made by Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala before a Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee, which is convening within the walls of the Kgosi Mampuru C-Max Prison where the witness is being held.
Matlala, who is in custody on an attempted murder charge and is linked to a massive R2-billion (approximately US$106 million) fraud case related to Tembisa Hospital, provided a detailed account of his interactions with the former minister. He stated that in December 2024, he sought Cele’s intervention to help retrieve his firearms after they were confiscated during a police raid. What began as a request for help, according to Matlala, quickly evolved into a series of demands for cash.
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Cat Matlala Reveals That Bheki Cele Demanded A R1 Million Bribe
The committee heard how Matlala allegedly made two separate cash payments to the former minister. He testified that he arranged for these funds, totalling R500,000 (approximately US$26,500), to be drawn from his company, Medicare 24 Tshwane District, following Cele’s instructions. The method of delivery for the first instalment was particularly unceremonious. Matlala emphasised the mundane nature of the transaction, telling the committee,
“He emphasised that the first cash was delivered in a Woolworths bag to Cele.”
Matlala described a tense encounter that led to the specific R1 million request. He claimed that Cele expressed his dissatisfaction with the accommodation that had been offered, suggesting it was not a sufficient token of appreciation for his efforts. Matlala recounted the former minister’s words, stating:
“He actually spoke to Bongani, he said you see I helped your friend and I am here at his apartment and he’s not even doing anything to show appreciation.”
A Request With No Living Witness
Pressing for clarity, Matlala stated he asked Cele what he expected. The response, he alleges, was a direct solicitation. Matlala told the committee,
“I asked him what that meant because I offered him a place to stay, he said this will not help pay his bills. He told me that he helped me and I am not doing anything. That is when I asked how much he would want me to give him, and he said he would appreciate R1 million.”
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A significant complicating factor in verifying this claim is that the only other person Matlala claims was present during this exchange, Bongani Mpungose, has since passed away.
Matlala’s testimony continued late into the evening, with the committee expecting to hear his evidence until 7 pm. These sensational allegations, emerging from a high-security prison, now pose serious questions for the former police minister and have cast a long shadow over the proceedings of the Ad Hoc Committee.