Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, accused of bankrolling politicians and top cops after his Medicare24 Tshwane District company was awarded a R360m police tender, faces eviction from upmarket Pretoria offices over unpaid rent.
Matlala, a central figure in the state’s investigation into allegations of criminal infiltration in the SAPS, has been taken to court by Menlyn Maine Towers in the east of Pretoria for unpaid rent.
Menlyn Maine Towers, in court papers before the Pretoria high court, argues that Matlala owed R258,890 in rental charges after he started having payment flow troubles in June 2024.
“The respondent [Medicare24] is indebted to the applicant for arrear rentals and ancillary charges in the sum of R258,890, comprising several months’ rental and related expenses,” Menlyn Maine Towers property agent Wilna Claassen’s court papers read.
Matlala had a five-year lease with the company for Medicare24, from September 2021 to August 2026.
The company accuses Matlala of housing his other company, Cat VIP Protection, in Medicare24’s offices without consent, breaching the lease agreement.
Menlyn Maine Towers cancelled the lease in July, two months after Matlala was arrested for attempted murder.
“In an attempt to mitigate its losses, the applicant [Menlyn Maine Towers] cancelled the lease agreement by sending a cancellation letter/notice to vacate to the respondent [Medicare24] in July 2025. The applicant is well within its rights to seek eviction of the respondent and all persons claiming occupation of the leased premises.”
Menlyn Maine Towers wants the court to issue an order for Medicare24 to “immediately” leave its premises and pay the debt. It further wants legal claim to Medicare24 moveable property.
The property company’s attorneys, Maree Attorneys Inc, indicated that by November 21 the premises were still not vacated by Medicare24. “The respondent has to date not vacated the leased premises and remains in arrears with the monthly and related charges.”
According to the court papers, Matlala received his first letter of demand in June 2024, owing R76,829. This was the same year his company, Medicare24, was awarded the SAPS contract. The contract was cancelled in May this year.
By June 2025, the debt was R161,347.
Menlyn Maine Towers has opposed mediation, which is practised in Gauteng high courts, and filed an eviction application, which will be heard in December. The matter is unopposed.
Matlala gained a reputation for being a “money tree” and faces allegations of paying kickbacks to high-ranking cops to win the tender.
Matlala, testifying before parliament’s ad hoc committee, told MPs that former minister Bheki Cele was an “extortionist” who wanted R1m after assisting him [Matlala] in getting his belongings back after a raid by the KwaZulu-Natal political killings team and Gauteng investigators at his security company offices in Menlyn.
The police had seized guns registered under Matlala’s security company name in December 2024 and later gave them back to him.
Matlala further admitted to paying about R150,000 for the ANC January 8 celebrations in Cape Town to Brown Mogotsi, who labelled himself as a close associate of minister Senzo Mchunu.
Police also allege Matlala paid businessman and ANC member Suleiman Carrim, also known by Mchunu, R1.5m for assisting him with the SAPS tender.
Matlala, in his testimony, suggested he was a victim of a clash mainly between deputy national commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya and KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
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