Wife, lover and friends: Inside Cat Matlala’s spicy courtroom romance
- Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala appeared in court for the Medicare24 scandal alongside 12 co-accused
- Brigadier Rachel Matjeng was one of the co-accused and once openly admitted to a romantic relationship with Cat
- Social media users could not help but weigh in on the love triangle between the accused, including Matlala's wife Tsakane Matlala
JOHANNESBURG - It was something straight out of a telenovela written by the NPA when alleged crime kingpin Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala was spotted at the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court today alongside 12 co-accused in the Medicare24 scandal. One of the accused was Brigadier Rachel Matjeng, Cat Matlala's "lover".
Source: Twitter
According to eNCA reporter Pule Letshwiti-Jones, “lovers” Rachel Matjeng, the SAPS brigadier and Cat himself were caught exchanging words before proceedings kicked off.
Who is Rachel Matjeng?
Matjeng had previously claimed that she and Matlala were lovers. In her testimony at the Madlanga Commission in February 2026, the SAPS Section Head for Quality Management, detailed her relationship with Matlala, dating back to 2017.
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She described him as a “humble, respectful, and romantic person.”
Source: Twitter
However, Cat Matlala is married. And his wife, Tsakane Matlala was also present in court. Tsakani has her own legal woes and has been implicated alongside him in tender fraud allegations.
South Africans react to Matala's love triangle
Enter Mzansi social media users and their analysis of this messy love triangle.
Diphoko Mokhobo (@Prettyboy_056) weighed in and said:
“Cat really out here taking all his dates to the same venue: Courtroom A. His love language is definitely ‘Legal Proceedings’ ”
X user Lerato Mofokeng said:
“Cat is the only man who always has a lover in the dock with him. Talk about a cat with 9 lives ”
Some guys take you to a fancy restaurant. Others book a hot-air balloon. Cat Matlala? He books you a seat in the dock, right next to the fraud and corruption charges.
Twelve senior police officers arrested in connection with Vusimuzi Matlala’s Medicare24 tender
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) arrested senior police officers. The officers were reportedly arrested in connection with Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala's Medicare Tshwane District contract.
What is the Medicare Tshwane District contract?
The Medicare24 Tshwane District contract, the saga involved a controversial R360 million tender by the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The tender was awarded to Medicare 24 Tshwane District (Pty) Ltd, a company linked to ‘Cat’ Matlala. SAPS paid out approximately R50 million before the tender was eventually cancelled over a year later.
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has heard evidence of how senior police officials assisted Matlala to secure the tender in exchange for kickbacks.
Defiant Matipandile Sotheni appears in court, denies killing Witness D, Marius Van Der Merwe
Meanwhile, Briefly News reported that Matipandile Sotheni made another appearance in the Brakpan Magistrate's Court in connection with Witness D's murder.
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry's Witness D, who was identified as Marius van der Merwe, was murdered in December 2025.
Sotheni, a former Special Task Force member, told the judge that he wanted to assist the court with information.
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Source: Briefly News
