South Africa: Cele Tells Parliament of Beverly Hills Hotel Meeting With 'Cat' Matlala, Who He 'Knew Very Well'

23 October 2025
Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)
By Caryn Dolley

Former police minister Bheki Cele says he knows organised crime accused Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala 'very well'. He met him late last year via the son of a figure involved in KwaZulu-Natal's taxi industry.

Organised crime accused Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala apparently told former police minister Bheki Cele that he was asked to depose an affidavit that would lead to the Crime Intelligence boss' arrest.

This is what Cele has testified at Parliament's ad hoc committee on Thursday, 23 October 2025.

The committee is investigating accusations that a drug trafficking cartel has infiltrated South Africa's law enforcement and politics.

Watch live: 'I know Cat Matlala very well' - Bheki Cele tells Parliament

Cele started testifying on Thursday after sidelined police minister Senzo Mchunu spent several days as a witness.

It is the first time Cele has officially and publicly spoken out about the accusations that form the core of what has developed into an unprecedented policing scandal.

'I know him well'

He acknowledged that he knows Matlala, a key figure in the scandal, "very well".

They met in December 2024.

At the time, Matlala was not facing criminal charges.

He is now accused of being a member of a drug trafficking...

Read the full story on Daily Maverick.

Tagged:
Copyright © 2025 Daily Maverick. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.