"Oh Nkosi Yam": Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga's Reaction to Cat Matlala Steals the Show at Commission

• Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala raised an unexpected hurdle when asked to review his Section 204 statement overnight at the Madlanga Commission
• The imprisoned businessman's response caught Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga off guard, as he responded with laughter
• The response from the Commission's chairperson trended on social media, with many laughing along at his comments

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has spent a decade reporting on South Africa's political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online journalism.

GAUTENG — Commission Chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga could not conceal his amusement on Tuesday, letting slip a classic "Oh nkosi yam" after imprisoned businessman Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala offered an unvarnished reality check from inside Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre.

The spontaneous reaction came during what was meant to be routine housekeeping at the Commission of Inquiry into Criminality and Political Interference. Evidence leader Advocate Thabang Pooe had asked Matlala to spend the evening studying his Section 204 witness statement so he could flag any disputes ahead of the next day's proceedings.

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Matlala quickly cut in with a deadpan logistical problem: "I'm in a prison cell; they switch off the lights." The blunt reminder of maximum-security prison rules caught Justice Madlanga entirely off guard.

The chairperson broke into audible laughter, exclaiming, "Oh nkosi yam," before Advocate Sandile Khumalo SC intervened to clarify that arrangements were already being coordinated with Matlala’s legal representatives to ensure he had adequate time and conditions to review the papers.

The Section 204 statement in question stems from Matlala's failed plea and sentence agreement with the National Prosecuting Authority and the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC).

How did South Africans react?

The clip, shared on X by @D_Molatoli, drew significant engagement online, with viewers reacting to both the moment of levity and its ironic undertone.

@kingscelo_05 wrote:

"That 'oh nkosi yam' is classic"

@Sehale1 said:

"Nkosi yam Cat Matlala is cooked."

@SishTk commented:

"He must ask Dylan Perumal to make hot arrangements for him"

@JobChokwe wrote:

"They are laughing at him. Is this team yona monna? They are laughing with you as if you're not gonna be jailed."

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@MphoTaedi said:

"Lol, kante. Sweetheart be thinking mjita at a hotel or going back to the mansion after this."

@Kayfelo_Moks simply wrote:

"Study lamp, lol."

@BhazabhazaB added:

"Shame, man. At least he still has a sense of humour, you know."

Other funny Madlanga Commission moments

• The interpreter stole the show at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry with his comical Zulu translation.
• Commissioner Sesi Baloyi briefly interrupted proceedings when her cellphone rang with a Maskandi ringtone.
• South Africans were left embarrassed after a moment during Julius Mkhwanazi's testimony went viral globally.

Source: Briefly News