A stringent security lockdown has been enforced at the Kgosi Mampuru II correctional facility as the state prepares for the high-profile parliamentary testimony of Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. The alleged organised crime figure, who is currently a remand detainee on attempted murder charges, is scheduled to give evidence before an ad hoc committee from within the prison walls this week, prompting an unprecedented and meticulous safety operation.
The Department of Correctional Services has confirmed that a detailed security blueprint is in effect to manage every aspect of Matlala’s movement during the proceedings. Speaking with Newzroom Afrika, department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo assured the public of the detainee’s safety, while emphasising the absolute control officials will maintain. He revealed,
“The remandee will be moved from his cell and taken straight into the venue. There is a route I cannot disclose publicly that we’ll use, how we’ll go inside that venue.”
This tight regulation extends to even the most mundane details of the day, including short breaks and meal times. Nxumalo explained that no special treatment would be afforded in terms of sustenance, stating,
“Inmates and remand detainees are given specific meals. We’ve got a dietary plan for what they get to consume daily, so there will be no difference.”
ALSO READ: Ndimande Brothers Charged With Murder Of AKA To Spend Christmas In Jail
He stressed that this level of oversight is critical, adding,
“We will be very strict in what he gets to consume and where, so that at no point you would find there are gaps that could be used for other means. Remember, his safety is our responsibility.”
Cat Matlala Takes Secret Route For High-Stakes Parliamentary Testimony
Matlala is set to become the thirteenth individual to appear before the committee, which is probing serious allegations of corruption within the South African Police Service and claims of political meddling in the country’s criminal justice system. His testimony is highly anticipated, as several senior police officials have already implicated him in a web of alleged malfeasance.
Former KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, previously told the committee that Matlala was involved in a plot to sway operational decisions within the police force, including attempts to dismantle the specialised task team investigating political assassinations. Other high-ranking officers, including Cedrick Nkabinde and Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, have similarly connected the security company owner to alleged interference in police operations.
ALSO READ: Former JMPD Chief David Tembe Found Dead In His Home
At the heart of his upcoming testimony are serious financial allegations. Matlala is expected to be questioned extensively about a massive US$19 million (R360 million) government tender that was awarded to his company, Medicare 24 Tshwane District, before its abrupt cancellation in December of last year. It has been reported that his firm received as much as US$2.6 million (R50 million) in connection with the cancelled contract. Furthermore, he is anticipated to respond to direct accusations that he facilitated bribe payments to senior government officials, claims that strike at the core of the committee’s investigation into state capture.