Cat Matlala
Cele appeared before Parliament’s ad hoc committee this week, where he clarified his limited association with Matlala and faced tough questioning over conflicting statements about their relationship. He also criticised the imbalance in South Africa’s justice system, saying the state spends far more on prisoners than on struggling citizens.
Former Police Minister Bheki Cele spent much of this week defending his record and clarifying his relationships during his testimony before Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating allegations of criminal infiltration within the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Cele, who appeared before the committee for several days, faced questions from Members of Parliament about his connection to businessman Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala, who has been accused of attempted murder and is alleged to have close links to political and police figures.
On Thursday, Cele told MPs that he knew Matlala “very well” when asked about their relationship. However, when he returned to the committee on Friday, he changed his position, saying he did not know Matlala very well and that his earlier comment had been made without careful reflection.
Democratic Alliance MP Glynnis Breytenbach questioned the inconsistency, asking why Cele had shifted his account overnight. “You sit there with a lot of confidence and you speak your mind, which is not a bad quality. But this morning you were quick to retract the fact that you said that you knew Matlala very well. I’d like to explore with you why you initially said that because you are a seasoned campaigner and you’ve been around the block,” Breytenbach said.
Cele responded that his earlier wording may have been exaggerated and that he had reconsidered what it means to know someone “very well.” He explained that a single meeting or brief social interaction does not amount to a close relationship. “Knowing each other and having drinks together maybe can indicate a very well relationship, but a single work meeting or a meeting in a hotel cannot mean you know a person very well. On reflection and understanding that humans do make mistakes, I should not have said it that way,” he said.
Cele also told the committee that Matlala’s name had surfaced in political circles before, and that he was not the only public figure to have encountered him. “Many ANC leaders, including the President, have been seen with Matlala,” Cele said. He added that he only learned of Matlala’s alleged criminal activities later and that his interactions with him had been limited and professional. “When I met him, I did not even know he was wanted for the things that are there,” Cele told MPs. “I repeat, taking what I know now, I would not behave as I behaved before I knew who he is and what type of character he is.”
African National Congress MP Mdumiseni Ntuli asked whether Cele thought his association with Matlala, even if casual, could damage the ANC’s image. “Do you not think that your association, in whatever kind of acquaintance it assumes, has a negative impact on the standing of the ANC? Do you not think in a context like that you are contributing indirectly to diminishing the standing of the party by being associated with such characters?” Ntuli asked.
Cele said he did not believe his brief interaction with Matlala amounted to an ongoing relationship and reiterated that other leaders had also been photographed with him.
In addition to defending his own reputation, Cele also used his appearance before the committee to highlight broader issues in the criminal justice system, focusing on what he described as an imbalance between the state’s spending on prisoners and the support offered to struggling citizens.
Cele told MPs that South Africa spends R13,000 per prisoner per month, while unemployed citizens or those in need of social relief receive just R350. He said the gap creates an environment where some people may find “comfort” in committing crimes, knowing that prison offers better living conditions than poverty outside.
“We do not have a special education trust from government that teaches orphans of police men and women who die in the line of duty, but we pay about R13,000 a month for a single prisoner. Those that are innocent get R350,” he said. “Then it is fine to go to prison. People get comfort from committing crime. I think we need to go back and check the system.”
Cele argued that the system should be reviewed to focus more on rehabilitation, prevention, and community support rather than only punishment. His remarks drew attention to the socioeconomic factors that contribute to high crime rates in South Africa.
The ad hoc committee’s hearings, which have stretched over several weeks, are part of a broader investigation into claims that criminal elements have infiltrated the SAPS and influenced procurement processes and leadership appointments. Cele, who served as Police Minister from 2018 until earlier this year, has been one of several high-profile figures summoned to testify.
Throughout the hearings, MPs have pressed witnesses on issues ranging from corruption and political interference to the integrity of senior police officials. The committee is expected to compile a report with recommendations once all testimonies are completed.
For Cele, this week’s session marked the final day of his appearance before the inquiry. His testimony sought to balance personal clarification with policy reflection, as he distanced himself from figures under criminal scrutiny while calling for a fundamental review of South Africa’s approach to crime and incarceration.
