Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala bail application continues in court

JOHANNESBURG - Alleged underworld figure Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala is back in the Alexandra Magistrates Court, where his bail application is continuing.

Matlala is accused of orchestrating a 2023 hit on his ex-girlfriend, actress Tebogo Thobejane.

The State is opposing his release, flagging discrepancies in his affidavit, including claims that he made multiple trips to Eswatini on foot and that he destroyed both his own cellphone and that of his wife.

Prosecutors also told the court that Matlala used a false Eswatini identity under the surname “Dlamini,” which was linked to his old cellphone number.

In a message, dated 22 December 2024, Matlala asked his lawyer: “Can I come out of hiding?” and later, “Please advise, can I go home to Eswatini, as I am still in hiding?”

“Two aspects need to be highlighted here. The movement was on foot and there is no record showing him returning to South Africa. This raises the question of why the applicant would visit Eswatini for just one night every time. This is yet another example of the applicant not being open with this honourable court.”