News24 | Vusi ‘Cat’ Matlala caught with cellphone in cell - prison authorities

Tender king and criminal accused Vusimusi Cat Matlala, photographed during an appearance at the Alexandra Magistrate's court in Johannesburg.

• Vusi “Cat” Matlala was caught with a cellphone in his Kgosi Mampuru prison cell over the weekend.
• He has been transferred to the facility’s C-Max section
• In a second raid at the prison on Tuesday, drugs, cellphones and sharp items were confiscated.

Tenderpreneur and awaiting trialist Vusi “Cat” Matlala was caught with a cellphone in his cell in Kgosi Mampuru prison over the weekend, according to the correctional services department.

On Wednesday, department spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said the cellphone was discovered during a raid.

“One of the raids conducted over the past weekend led to the discovery of a mobile phone in Mr Matlala’s cell. The discovery led to the department taking action, and the remand inmate was then transferred to the facility’s C-Max section,” he said.

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has alleged that there was a long-standing relationship between Matlala and Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and that Matlala received financial support from the minister while he was under investigation for multiple scandals.

On Tuesday, News24 also reported that former police minister Bheki Cele stayed in Matlala’s luxury Pretoria penthouse, despite Cele’s denial of any business relationship with Matlala.

Matlala’s company won a R360-million police tender while Cele was minister, and Mkhwanazi’s revelations have triggered a national security concern, prompting President Cyril Ramaphosa to call for restraint.

He is also accused of arranging to have his influencer girlfriend, Tebogo Thobejane, killed.

Another raid

Officials pounced on the facility for a second time on Tuesday night, confiscating crystal meth, marijuana, cellphones and sharp objects.

Within hours, more than 600 inmates in 20 cells were searched for contraband inside the facility, which houses more than 7 295 detainees, including convicted murderer and rapist, Thabo Bester, taxi tycoon Vusi “Khekhe Mathibela, and Matlala.

Correctional services commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale told the media from within the prison’s awaiting trial section that about 103 cellphones were discovered, as well as an unspecified quantity of crystal meth and marijuana.

“Out of the search, we have uncovered dagga, we have uncovered crystal meth and of course we uncovered sharp objects. We are still continuing with the search and we are moving from section to section. The aim is to ensure that we clean as much as we can in this management area,” he added.

Thobakgale said one of the most disturbing discoveries was rearranged beds in communal cells.

READ | 9 LIVES: Tender King ‘Cat’ Matlala and Senzo Mchunu linked to protection bribe scandal

“It’s not in a manner that is supposed to be arranged. We found out that the offenders have responsibilities to co-ordinate the cleaning of the cells and those that are monitors and are expected to ensure that the rules are followed, are the ones who have rearranged the cells. So we are struggling with the problem of overcrowding,” he said.

Thobakgale added that the raids were part of a broader campaign to rid correctional centres of contraband and eliminate criminal networks from within.

On Sunday, the department conducted a raid at Baviaanspoort Correctional Centre after intelligence indicated that a group of inmates were in possession of cellphones and were using them to scam members of the public.

Nxumalo said investigations revealed that inmates had created sophisticated hideout spots within their cells to conceal the devices.

ALSO READ | 9 LIVES: How Vusimusi ‘Cat’ Matlala clawed in R50m from SAPS despite corruption red flags

He added that illegal activities took place openly during the day, highlighting significant shortcomings in vigilance and ongoing oversight.

Nxumalo added that the serious security lapses prompted the national commissioner to request a comprehensive report from the centre’s management, detailing how the lapses were allowed to happen under their supervision.

He added that all inmates involved in the scams were transferred to the maximum-security unit (C-Max) at Kgosi Mampuru prison.