Latest news with #tenderpreneur
News24
09-07-2025
- Politics
- News24
Police minister hits back at claims of links to Vusimusi ‘Cat' Matlala
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu's office released a statement on Wednesday morning in response to KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's explosive claims over the weekend. The minister claims he has never met Vusimusi 'Cat' Matlala. He also says he knows Brown Mogotsi, but that Mogotsi is 'not an associate'. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has shot back at KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's claims, insisting he doesn't know controversial tenderpreneur Vusimusi 'Cat' Matlala. In an explosive press conference in Durban on Sunday, Mkhwanazi openly declared that the minister was under criminal investigation, alleging that the police's top brass had been infiltrated by underworld actors – among them Matlala, who, News24 previously reported, scored a R360-million health services tender from the SAPS, despite being investigated for procurement fraud at Tembisa Hospital. The tender has since been cancelled. In the interim, Matlala was arrested and charged earlier this year for an attempted hit on his former lover, influencer and actress Tebogo Thobejane. Mkhwanazi said an analysis of Matlala's phone records had uncovered a secret plot to shut down the political killings task team after its members were roped in to assist with cases to which he had been linked. He also claimed Matlala was financially supporting the minister. Despite calls for restraint from President Cyril Ramaphosa, Mchunu's office said in a statement on Wednesday that he wanted to 'clarify' that he had 'never met Mr Matlala', had never 'spoken to him, nor has the minister ever requested or received anything from him'. 'The minister did, however, initiate a review of the SAPS tender awarded to him when suspicions of possible wrongdoing surfaced. It was the same tender which has since been terminated,' the statement read. Over the weekend, Mkhwanazi also pointed to communication between Matlala, a 'Brown Mogotsi', and Mchunu and claimed Matlala was bankrolling Mogotsi's political endeavours. Mchunu's office added: 'Furthermore, whilst the minister knows and has met Mr Brown Mogotsi, he is just a comrade and not an associate of the minister. The minister has never requested or received anything from him.' This is in stark contrast to his previous claims in Parliament that he did 'not know this person'.
News24
09-07-2025
- Politics
- News24
Vusi ‘Cat' Matlala caught with cellphone in cell
Tenderpreneur and awaiting trialist Vusi 'Cat' Matlala was caught with a cellphone in his cell in Kgosi Mampuru prison over the weekend, according to the correctional services department. On Wednesday, department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said the cellphone was discovered during a raid. 'One of the raids conducted over the past weekend led to the discovery of a mobile phone in Mr Matlala's cell. The discovery led to the department taking action, and the remand inmate was then transferred to the facility's C-Max section,' he said. KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has alleged that there was a long-standing relationship between Matlala and Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and that Matlala bribed the minister while he was under investigation for multiple scandals. On Tuesday, News24 also reported that former police minister Bheki Cele stayed in Matlala's luxury Pretoria penthouse, despite Cele's denial of any business relationship with Matlala. Matlala's company won a R360-million police tender while Cele was minister, and Mkhwanazi's revelations have triggered a national security concern, prompting President Cyril Ramaphosa to call for restraint. He is also accused of arranging to have his influencer girlfriend, Tebogo Thobejane, killed.
News24
29-05-2025
- Business
- News24
Olorato's murder case shock; Cat Matlala's R360m tender splurge: Top 7 stories in 7 minutes
News24 brings you the top 7 stories of the day. News24 brings you the top stories of the day, summarised into neat little packages. Read through quickly or listen to the articles via our customised text-to-speech feature. SAPS/Supplied Two men wanted for Olorato Mongale's murder had prior kidnapping, robbery arrests Two suspects arrested earlier this year for kidnapping and robbery are now wanted for Olorato Mongale's murder after she went on a date. Police linked the suspects, Bongani Mthimkhulu and Philangenkosi Makhanya, to a syndicate targeting women via similar methods, prompting hundreds of victim reports. A vehicle tied to Mongale's murder was located, leading to the arrest of one suspect's father, who owns the car. 9 LIVES | A Rolls-Royce, mansions and cosmetic surgery - Cat Matlala's R360m tender splurge Vusimusi Cat Matlala, a tenderpreneur, lived a lavish lifestyle funded by a R360-million police tender, while his staff and subcontractors went unpaid. Matlala and his family splurged on luxury cars, mansions, cosmetic surgery, and designer clothing, showcasing their wealth on social media. The police tender was cancelled amid fraud allegations, leading to a criminal probe and leaving Matlala's subcontractors and employees in financial ruin. Oh 'Gordy': Elephant seal makes second appearance in Cape Town A southern elephant seal nicknamed 'Gordy' surprised Cape Town residents by wandering into suburbia, sparking a nine-hour rescue effort. Gordy later appeared near the Naval Base in Simon's Town, where SPCA and City officials are monitoring him as he rests safely. Southern elephant seals, known for coming ashore to moult, can grow up to seven metres and weigh five tonnes. Interest rates cut, Kganyago punts 3% inflation target The South African Reserve Bank reduced the repo rate to 7.25%, driven by settled inflation and revised economic forecasts. Lower rates will reduce home loan payments, but economic growth was downgraded to 1.2%, with mining and manufacturing underperforming. Governor Kganyago aims to lower the inflation target to lock in reduced inflation; consumer inflation currently sits at 2.8%. SA's metro mess: Big cities regress, but contractors close to councillors, officials score South Africa's major cities awarded more than R1 billion in tenders to suppliers with close ties to municipal employees or councillors, with Johannesburg leading at R927 million. Metros are struggling with financial management, incurring R33.29 billion in irregular expenditure since 2021/22 and writing down R118.64 billion in unrecoverable consumer debt. The Mangaung metro, under national intervention, faces financial distress, spending most of its revenue on employee costs and mismanaging grant funding, leading to service delivery disruptions. From crushing Klaasen to Brevis blitz: How all of SA's 18 stars fared at this year's IPL Several Proteas batters, including Heinrich Klaasen and Aiden Markram, performed well in the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Eighteen South Africans participated in the IPL, with four making their debuts, and most have now left to prepare for the World Test Championship final. Other notable performances came from Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, and Dewald Brevis, while some players like Kagiso Rabada and Quinton de Kock had less successful seasons.
