Mzansi Reacts to Woolies’ New Bag After Cat Matlala’s Money Bag Statement

• Mzansi picked up on the new Woolworths bag during the same week as Cat Matlala’s money-bag claims, making the timing stand out
• The clip spread quickly because the bag conversation was already active online, giving the video an easy boost across timelines
• People reacted with light humour, linking the bag change to the political buzz of the week and keeping the topic circulating

South Africans connected Woolworths’ new white bag to the ongoing political discussions sparked by Cat Matlala’s money-bag claims, turning a simple TikTok post into trending chatter.

A TikTok user, @layboo23, posted a video on 30 November 2025 showing a new Woolworths shopping bag she received after doing her groceries. The clip, filmed at home, highlighted how the bag was now white and slightly transparent compared to the old black version most shoppers were used to. The timing immediately caught attention because it surfaced shortly after the dramatic political and legal developments involving Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala, whose claims about carrying R300,000 in cash inside a Woolworths bag linked back to former police minister Bheki Cele. With the story still trending in South Africa, people quickly connected the brand-new bag to the ongoing discussions around why Woolworths bags had suddenly become part of a national conversation.

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In her video, user @layboo23 simply showed off the new shopping bag, but the context surrounding its debut carried more weight than the bag itself. South Africans were still unpacking the events Matlala described, including how he allegedly withdrew the R300,000 and placed it inside a Woolworths bag before handing it to Cele at his apartment, where Bongani ‘Mabonga’ Mpungose was also present. The matter had created renewed focus on how everyday items were being linked to deeper political issues, especially as ActionSA MP Dereleen James and PA MP Ashley Sauls continued addressing matters tied to accountability and tributes to slain whistleblower Babita Deokaran.

Mzansi speculate about the bag change

The video steadily gained traction as viewers pointed out the bag’s slightly transparent texture, with many saying it looked noticeably different from the long-standing black design. The shift in design became the biggest talking point, as viewers debated whether the change was random or intentionally timed. By the time the video finished making the rounds, South Africans had turned the topic into a classic mix of humour, curiosity and mild chaos.

Many felt the bag looked new because Woolworths might have wanted to distance itself from the viral talk around the black bags being used to move money, while others simply found the transparency funny. Some teased that shoppers would now need to hide their groceries properly because everyone could see what was inside, while others just enjoyed the timing of the whole situation. Overall, the reaction leaned into typical Mzansi humour, mixing disbelief with laughter as people made the bag part of the week’s trending chatter.

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Here's what Mzansi had to say

Acid Banks said:

“One thing about Woolworths, they didn’t joke with their brand; imagine if it were Nandos’ marketing team, they would have run with the money bag concept.”

Butterfly wrote:

“This one was transparent; we wouldn’t have been able to move our things secretly.”

Civil Engineering Student Note said:

“And the black one hid lots of things; this one was visible.”

Xola Luvuno wrote:

“They didn’t want to be associated with bad publicity.”

Nkosazana ka baba said:

“They could have chosen another dark colour like navy blue.”

Ntombikayise said:

“Why, though? Because it was a good bag to carry my stuff when I went to my boyfriend’s house.”

Raeesa0017 wrote:

“But they still didn’t make the handles longer to hang it over your shoulder.”

Nelson Mandela wrote:

“Woolworths just lost business; we couldn’t move money in that.”

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Check out the TikTok video below:

3 Other Briefly News stories related to Cat Matlala

• Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala, who was arrested for the attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend, Tebogo Thobejane, is facing more legal troubles.
• Attempted murder-accused Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala expressed concerns that his testimony could be used against him in a court of law.
• The Department of Correctional Services is expected to increase security measures at the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre before Cat Matlala’s testimony.

Proofreading by Roxanne Dos Ramos, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News