- Cat Matlala told the commission that businessman Steve Motsumi loaned him R5-million for renovations linked to a government hospital project.
- Matlala confirmed doing business with Hangwani Maumela and said they pooled money to pursue government tenders and shared profits from successful contracts.
Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala faces another grilling at the Madlanga Commission on Wednesday after three days of questions about millions of rands, government tenders and his links to controversial businessmen.
Evidence leaders are expected to move to a new topic as Matlala enters his fourth day on the witness stand.
His testimony has already put his relationships with businessman Hangwani Maumela and taxi industry figures Jotham Msibi and Steve Motsumi under the spotlight.
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Matlala has also repeatedly refused to answer some questions, saying his answers could incriminate him.
On Tuesday, Matlala was questioned about payments involving Maumela and Msibi.
Matlala said he introduced Msibi, who regarded him as a son, to Maumela.
"He would know him as my son's friend," Matlala said.
Evidence leader Advocate Mahlape Sello questioned him about an exchange involving R4-million.
"So you're saying it's in that context that there was an exchange of R4-million to his son's friend," Sello asked.
"I said I do not know what that payment was for," Matlala replied.
But Matlala faced more questions after initially saying he did not know about payments between the men.
The commission questioned why he had sent Msibi proof of payments and referred to bank accounts where Maumela wanted money deposited.
Matlala also told the commission that Motsumi loaned him R5-million in 2024.
He said the money was used to renovate a hospital linked to a lease agreement with the Department of Public Works at the South African Police Service Pretoria West College.
Matlala said the loan was covered by an acknowledgement of debt and was fully repaid in 2025.
He said it was separate from another proposed R20-million investment that never happened.
"The first R5-million was the first time I had a lease agreement with Public Works for the hospital that was in Pretoria West College," Matlala said.
"So I wanted to renovate that hospital. That R5-million was for that."
Matlala also gave the commission details about his relationship with Maumela.
He said they met around 2015 or 2016 through their shared love of luxury sports cars.
"We both have a passion for sports cars," Matlala said.
He said they regularly visited the same Sandton restaurant and their friendship grew from there.
The relationship later turned into business.
Matlala confirmed that he and Maumela pooled money to pursue government contracts and shared profits when they secured work.
He said they opened a neutral company and put money into an account for their business ventures.
Matlala said some of the contracts came from the Gauteng Department of Health, with the first requests for quotations dating back to 2018.
He said successful quotations he had summarised were worth about R5-million over three years.
The Special Investigating Unit has separately uncovered between R2-billion and R2.3-billion in suspected looting linked to Tembisa Hospital.
The investigation has linked a network associated with Maumela to hundreds of millions of rands in payments.
Matlala said he believes he could also be a subject of a Special Investigating Unit investigation involving Gauteng Health tenders, but did not say what possible offence was being investigated.
Matlala's refusal to answer some questions has also caused tension inside the commission.
He has repeatedly relied on his right against self-incrimination, particularly when questioned about senior police officials and matters linked to criminal cases.
His lawyers referred to a Section 204 affidavit linked to a plea agreement process that was later abandoned.
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But Commission Chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga questioned whether Matlala could rely on a document the commission had not been allowed to examine.
"That's not the test. The test is, is there a crime? What is that crime?" Madlanga said.
He said Matlala must show how a question relates to a particular crime before relying on his right against self-incrimination.
There was further tension when Matlala's legal team raised the possibility of walking out if they were not given more time to prepare him.
But when Matlala was questioned directly, he said he had not decided whether his lawyers should withdraw.
Commissioner Sesi Baloyi described the conflicting positions as "deeply problematic".
The commission now moves into another day of testimony with evidence leaders expected to open a new line of questioning.
After days of testimony about money, tenders, businessmen and controversial relationships, Matlala could face another difficult day in the witness chair.
