At least 12 high-ranking police officers and a company director have been arrested in connection with the awarding of an irregular R360 million tender to attempted murder accused tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s company, Medicare 24 Tshwane District.

The group was handcuffed by the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) in a series of raids on Tuesday night.

Arrests

IDAC spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the arrests are linked to a tender awarded to Medicare24 Tshwane District.

Matlala allegedly bribed top police officers, including generals, to facilitate the award of the contract. 

“All accused are expected to make their first appearance before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on charges of corruption, fraud and the Contravention of the PFMA (Public Finance Management Act).”

Contract

The irregular contract, which was awarded in 2024, has been at the centre of proceedings of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and a parliamentary inquiry into crime networks infiltrating the South African Police Service (Saps) and the country’s criminal justice system.

In November last year, Matlala reluctantly explained how his company, Medicare24 Tshwane District, was awarded the R360 million South African Police Service (Saps) health services contract.

While the contract was advertised for R360 million, R600 million was available in the Saps budget.

Saps chief financial officer (CFO), Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane, told Parliament’s ad hoc committee that the contract was flagged as a possible irregular expenditure in the first week of March 2024 and confirmed as irregular in May.

Medicare24

R466 million was disclosed as irregular expenditure.

The idea of Medicare24 Tshwane District came through Mike van Wyk, who lives on the same estate as Matlala.

The deal between Matlala and Van Wyk is between a franchisor and its franchisee, with Van Wyk owning Medicare24 Holdings.

The agreement was that Matlala would register his company under Medicare24 Holdings and pay a management fee to the company on every contract secured by Medicare24 Tshwane District.

Charges

Matlala is already facing multiple charges, including attempted murder, money laundering, and defeating the ends of justice, related to the shooting of his former lover, actress Tebogo Thobejane, in 2023.

Thobejane’s vehicle was allegedly shot at. She sustained injuries after her vehicle was ambushed.

Matlala was also implicated in the Thembisa Hospital corruption saga, in which the Special Investigations Unit revealed that he benefited from at least R13 million through procurement deals.

He single-handedly redefined the purpose of the Woolworths shopping bag, so much that the retailer reworked it.

*This article was first published The Citizen