Businessman Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala, who has been the subject of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, has been moved from Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre (C-Max) to eBongweni Correctional Facility in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal. The Department of Correctional Services confirmed that the transfer took place on December 21. Singabakho Nxumalo, department spokesperson, said the transfer of remand detainees and sentenced offenders between correctional facilities is a standard operational practice.
Nxumalo said the decision was made by a number of considerations, primarily security, safety, operational requirements, and effective inmate management across the correctional system. In terms of Section 6 of the Correctional Services Act, 1998 (Act No. 111 of 1998), the National Commissioner of Correctional Services is legally empowered to detain an offender or remand detainee at any correctional centre, notwithstanding the wording of a warrant.
This provision exists to enable the department to respond appropriately to security assessments and operational demands “The core mandate of the department is to ensure that all correctional facilities are safe, secure, and conducive to humane detention, while enabling the delivery of rehabilitation and care programmes. In this regard, the safety and security of detainees, officials, and the broader correctional environment remain paramount. Where enhanced security measures are required, these considerations take precedence,” said Nxumalo.
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Nxumalo added that the transfer of a detainee does not prejudice their legal rights or access to services. “All detainees continue to receive appropriate care, and necessary arrangements are made to ensure that court appearances and legal processes are honoured without impediment,” said Nxumalo. The department said that, given the sensitive nature of security-related decisions, they will not engage in public discussions, interviews, or further commentary on the specific security considerations underpinning this transfer.
Matlala has been a central figure in the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and faces multiple serious charges, including conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, money laundering and defeating the ends of justice. He, his wife Tsakane Matlala and three co-accused are linked to an alleged 2023 Sandton attack on his ex-girlfriend, Tebogo Thobejane, whose vehicle was shot at during an ambush in which she was injured.
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