Claudette Masethe Relies on R60,000 Monthly Allowance From Boyfriend, Court Hears

• Claudette Masethe, sister of Vusimuzi Matlala, appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Wednesday on fraud-related charges
• Court proceedings revealed details of her finances, including how she funds her life in an upmarket Hyde Park apartment
• Masethe and two co-accused were each ordered to pay R20,000 bail, while Matlala's bail hearing is set for October

PRETORIA —Supporting a seven-year-old child and running a residence in Johannesburg's affluent Hyde Park suburb costs Claudette Masethe R60,000 every four weeks—a sum supplied entirely by her romantic partner.

These financial records were entered into the record via affidavit as Masethe stood before the Pretoria Magistrate's Court. The 31-year-old, who previously held a directorship at Medicare24 Tshwane District, remains without formal employment while completing her second year of diploma studies in legal practice.

Waterkloof Tenancy Under Scrutiny

Masethe's court appearance stems from allegations that she, along with Tsakane Matlala and Given Makofane, assisted her brother, Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala, in manufacturing fraudulent financial statements. Investigators contend these forged documents enabled Matlala to procure a R95,000 monthly tenancy for a Waterkloof residence while using falsified eSwatini identification papers.

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Tsakane Matlala and 2 co-accused granted R20,000 bail in fraud case

Following their apprehension by members of the Gauteng Political Killings Task Team, Masethe, Tsakane, and Makofane secured release on R20,000 bail apiece after prosecutors elected not to challenge their applications. Matlala remains in custody ahead of a scheduled two-day bail hearing set for mid-October, while law enforcement officials continue inquiries prior to the next general appearance on 29 October.

View a video about their bail appearance on X:

Previous Parliamentary Inquiries

The accused has featured in earlier state proceedings regarding her brother's commercial activities. In prior testimony before a Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee, Matlala stated he directed Masethe to execute a R300,000 over-the-counter cash withdrawal at FNB. Matlala alleged this sum was transferred to former Police Minister Bheki Cele inside a Woolworths carrier bag, an assertion Cele refuted. Matlala additionally told the committee that Masethe previously dated Bafana Bafana player Grant Kekana.

Cat Matlala trial descends into chaos

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In a related article, Briefly News reported on Matlala’s attempted murder trial, which descended into chaos at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court. Police officers blocked the accused from consulting their lawyers after an early adjournment, prompting Judge Cassim Moosa to intervene.

Source: Briefly News