Cat Matlala’s Explosive Draft Affidavit Implicates Bheki Cele, Sibiya And Swarts In Alleged Cash Payments And Government Lease Deals
Controversial businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala has made explosive allegations in a draft affidavit, claiming that senior government officials promised to help him secure state-owned buildings to position his company for future National Health Insurance (NHI) contracts.
The allegations implicate former deputy public works minister Bernice Swarts, former deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya and former police minister Bheki Cele.
The unsigned affidavit was prepared while Matlala was in custody as part of a proposed plea agreement with the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption. The agreement, which would have required him to testify in exchange for a reduced sentence, ultimately collapsed.
Matlala claims that Sibiya arranged a meeting with Swarts at her official residence in 2023 after he had struggled for nearly two years to secure a hospital lease at the SAPS Tshwane campus.
During the meeting, Swarts allegedly promised to assist him in obtaining the lease and additional government buildings through the Department of Public Works.
Matlala claims the arrangement would have allowed his company, Medicare24, to establish a presence ahead of the implementation of NHI and improve its chances of securing government contracts.
He further alleges that he gave Sibiya R80,000 at OR Tambo International Airport, supposedly for Swarts to purchase alcohol for a traditional ceremony. He claims a further R200,000 was paid in connection with the lease, which was allegedly signed in December 2023.
The affidavit also contains allegations of payments linked to Medicare24’s controversial SAPS medical services tender, initially valued at R360 million.
Matlala claims he made regular payments of R50,000 to SAPS employee Brian Neville Cartwright and handed Sibiya substantial amounts of cash, including R500,000 payments.
He also alleges that he supplied 20 impalas as part of his dealings with officials.
In separate allegations involving Cele, Matlala claims he agreed to pay the former police minister R1 million after a raid by the Political Killings Task Team in December 2024.
He alleges that R700,000 was handed over in a Woolworths shopping bag at a Menlyn Maine penthouse in January 2025, with the remaining R300,000 paid later in Durban.
Matlala further claims Cele subsequently raised the possibility of purchasing a R6 million property in Trafalgar and requested additional money for vehicle repairs, which he says he refused.
Swarts has strongly denied the allegations, insisting that she never met Matlala or assisted him in securing government leases.
Cele has previously denied receiving money from Matlala, although he acknowledged staying at the businessman’s Menlyn penthouse free of charge.
The allegations have not been tested in court, and the unsigned affidavit does not establish that the named officials received the alleged payments.
The claims emerge amid ongoing scrutiny of Matlala’s business dealings, including the cancelled Medicare24 SAPS tender, under which approximately R228 million was reportedly paid before the contract was terminated.