Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s R228 million Medicare24 Tshwane District tender case has been postponed to 17 November 2026, after prosecutors asked for more time to review the charges following the collapse of his proposed plea and sentence agreement.
Matlala appeared in the Pretoria Regional Court on Tuesday, 29 September, where he rejoined his co-accused in the long-running corruption case involving the controversial South African Police Service (SAPS) wellness services contract.
The postponement was granted to allow the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) review process to be completed. Prosecutor Saneel Manilal told the court that National Director of Public Prosecutions Andy Mothibi had ordered a full review of the matter.
The review is expected to consider the charges and the recommendations of the case assessment team before the matter proceeds.
Why the case was postponed
During Tuesday’s appearance, Manilal asked for a further postponement to allow the NPA’s case assessment team to complete its work.
The prosecution indicated that the assessment team needed time to compile recommendations for the NDPP after an 8 October deadline linked to the review process. The matter was therefore postponed to 17 November.
The development comes at a significant point in the case because Matlala is now back in the main proceedings after his separate plea-and-sentence process collapsed.
The NPA’s decision to review the matter also comes against the backdrop of wider scrutiny of cases previously investigated and prosecuted by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC).
The R228 million Medicare24 tender
The case centres on a SAPS wellness services contract awarded to Medicare24 Tshwane District, a company linked to Matlala.
The tender was initially budgeted at about R360 million, while Matlala’s successful bid was approximately R228 million. Investigators subsequently raised concerns about alleged irregularities surrounding the awarding and administration of the contract.
According to the NPA, the accused face corruption-related charges arising from the alleged irregular awarding of the contract.
At one stage, the State alleged that more than R50 million had been paid under the contract before it was cancelled in May 2025.
The prosecution case has centred on allegations that police officials and people connected to Medicare24 manipulated aspects of the procurement process to enable Matlala’s company to obtain the contract.
Those allegations remain allegations and have not been proved in court.
How Matlala’s plea deal collapsed
Matlala was previously separated from the main case after he entered negotiations with the State for a plea and sentence agreement.
Under the proposed agreement, Matlala had indicated that he would plead guilty to charges including corruption, fraud and money laundering and cooperate with the State.
The agreement was put before the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crime Court in July.
On 1 July, Magistrate Ignatius du Preez rejected the proposed sentence as too lenient and indicated that a substantially longer period of direct imprisonment would be appropriate. Reports at the time said the proposed agreement would have resulted in an effective sentence of eight years, while the court indicated that a 12-year direct sentence was more appropriate.
Matlala subsequently declined to proceed on the basis of the sentence indicated by the court.
His plea and sentence agreement was consequently declared null and void, resulting in him returning to the main case.
NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago previously said the collapse of the agreement did not mean the State lacked confidence in its case.
“We believe there is sufficient evidence to sustain the charges preferred against all the accused in this matter,” Kganyago said.
NPA head Andy Mothibi similarly said the plea process had been a legally recognised mechanism that could have avoided a lengthy trial while securing evidence through a cooperating accused.
Matlala rejoins the other accused
The NPA had earlier confirmed that Matlala and his two companies would be joined again with the other accused in the main Medicare24 matter.
On 7 September, the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court postponed proceedings to 29 September to allow the matter to be transferred to the regional court, where Matlala and his companies could be rejoined with the other accused. The NPA said disclosure of the docket had been completed for all accused.
The prosecution had previously indicated that, following the collapse of the plea agreement, it would prepare an indictment with a view to the matter ultimately being transferred to the High Court for trial.
The 29 September appearance was therefore an important procedural step in bringing Matlala back into the main proceedings.
The Masemola development
The Medicare24 case has also undergone a major change involving suspended National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola.
Masemola had been charged in connection with the tender, but the NPA announced earlier in September that the charges against him had been withdrawn.
The NPA said the NDPP had considered the evidence gathered during the investigation, a Case Assessment Panel report and an independent senior counsel’s report before concluding that there were no reasonable prospects of a successful prosecution against Masemola.
Mothibi said: “Enrolling a case for prosecution where evidence is not sufficient to sustain a successful prosecution is not in the public interest.”
The withdrawal of the charges against Masemola does not automatically dispose of the allegations against the remaining accused. The other accused remain before court and the allegations against them still have to be tested through the criminal justice process.
What happens next
The 17 November appearance is now expected to provide the next significant indication of how the prosecution intends to proceed.
The NPA review will be important because prosecutors must determine how the charges should proceed after Matlala’s return to the main case and amid changes to the accused list.
The case assessment process is also taking place against the background of a broader NPA review of certain IDAC matters following changes within the corruption-fighting unit.
For Matlala, the collapse of the plea agreement means he no longer has the certainty of the negotiated sentence that was previously before court. He is instead back in the main criminal proceedings, where the State must ultimately prove its allegations against him and the remaining accused beyond a reasonable doubt.
For now, the Pretoria court has given prosecutors until the next appearance on 17 November to complete their review and determine the way forward.
