Matlala fights to delay testimony as SAPS CFO admits ‘consequence management is not real’

Lt‑Gen Puleng Dimpane told parliament’s ad hoc committee that “consequence management is not real” in the police, a blunt admission that irregular expenditure has not been deterred by existing controls.

She said senior managers often treat irregular spending lightly, with written warnings or counselling that “do not seem to deter wrongdoing”. Her evidence underscored that while R435m has been spent on the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) since 2018, the larger problem is the absence of credible sanctions when procurement rules are breached.

She confirmed that R48m was paid to Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s Medicare24 Tshwane District before the contract was cancelled and that she has instructed her office not to process outstanding invoices. “This matter is an embarrassment,” she said, adding that a forensic investigation is under way and expected to conclude before year‑end.

Dimpane stressed that she does not award contracts and that supply‑chain management has historically reported outside the CFO’s office. A new structure approved in May 2025 will bring supply-chain management under her authority, but implementation is pending. MPs pressed her on whether this reform will strengthen controls or simply shift accountability. ANC chief whip Mdumiseni Ntuli asked whether the police had been proactive in procurement oversight, to which Dimpane replied that interventions such as risk identification and closer work with supply‑chain officials were already in place.

On the PKTT, she argued that its expenditure profile was not excessive compared with other national operations, citing the July 2021 unrest deployment at R950m and the illicit‑mining task team at more than R1bn. “There’s nothing unusual about the spending patterns of the PKTT,” she told MPs, explaining that costs such as overtime and food were normal for a team whose members were drawn from different provinces. She added that the PKTT should have been converted into a permanent unit to allow proper resourcing and accountability, but that decision lay with the national commissioner.

The committee will now turn to Matlala, whose lawyers have sought a postponement of his testimony. In a letter seen by MPs, his legal team argued that “the sheer amount of documents and affidavits provided made it virtually impossible for Mr Matlala to be ready to adduce evidence.”

They warned that unless the committee granted a delay, they would approach the courts for an urgent interdict. His lawyer, Matlhatsi Abram Madira, told the committee’s evidence leaders that “grave concerns” existed about preparation and that timeframes were “not achievable”.

Committee members dismissed the request as a delaying tactic. ActionSA MP Dereleen James said: “This is a textbook Stalingrad tactic to frustrate our work. Whether Matlala likes it or not, he has had ample time to prepare.”

Chairperson Soviet Lekganyane confirmed that the hearing would proceed, noting that Matlala had been aware of the summons for weeks. Other MPs expressed frustration that Matlala was “getting cold feet” and attempting to avoid scrutiny.

Matlala himself has claimed through his lawyers that his detention at Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre has hindered his ability to prepare, citing health and mental strain. The committee, however, has insisted that arrangements have been made to facilitate his testimony from prison and that no further postponement will be entertained.

Under the Public Finance Management Act, the national commissioner, as accounting officer, must ensure effective internal controls and compliance with procurement prescripts. Dimpane’s testimony suggests those obligations have not been met.