EFF leader Julius Malema has firmly distanced himself from controversial businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, slamming social media speculation linking him and his wife, Mantoa Matlala, to the embattled tycoon as “petty gossip.”
Speaking in Polokwane on July 16, Malema made his position unmistakably clear: “He must go rot in jail. I don’t know him.”
Matlala faces a string of serious charges, including attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and money laundering, with allegations that he led a criminal network and orchestrated an assassination attempt on ex-girlfriend Tebogo Thobejane. He is also implicated in a suspicious R360 million SAPS tender, adding further fuel to the fire.
KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has reportedly accused Matlala of interfering in police operations—an accusation that has amplified pressure on the Police Ministry.
Malema seized the moment to renew calls for Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s removal, citing both the mishandling of Matlala’s case and broader failures within law enforcement.
As Matlala’s scandal continues to unfold, public scrutiny intensifies around the nexus of political power, police corruption, and business influence in South Africa.
