SAPS issues suspension notices to 4 officers linked to Cat Matlala tender

GAUTENG— Four senior South African Police Service (SAPS) officials have been served with suspension notices during a probe into an irregular police health management contract. The officers have already been charged internally for breaching the adjudication committee processes.

According to eNCA, the suspension notices relate to a R360 million SAPS health services tender awarded to criminally accused businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. The irregular contract was awarded in 2024 and has been central to the proceedings of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and a parliamentary inquiry into crime networks infiltrating SAPS and the country's criminal justice system. SAPS officials face internal charges over tender.

Matlala previously explained to an inquiry how his company, Medicare24 Tshwane District, was awarded the multi-million-rand contract. While the contract was advertised for R360 million, a total of R600 million was available in the SAPS budget. SAPS's chief financial officer, 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.

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National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola also appeared in court for this irregular contract. The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac) arrested Matlala and his co-accused on charges of corruption, fraud, and contravention of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) relating to the irregular contract.

Officers arrested for tender corruption

Similarly, Briefly News reported that more than 10 police officers were arrested for the same tender. The officers were accused of being involved in the tender awarding.

Source: Briefly News