R300 000 in a Woolworths bag: Matlala testifies

Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala told the Parliament Ad Hoc Committee on Thursday that he handed R300 000 in cash to former Police Minister Bheki Cele inside a black Woolworths bag. The committee is investigating Matlala’s alleged role in criminal infiltration within the justice system and his relationship with Cele.

Matlala’s testimony focused on allegations that he made cash payments to Cele. He said Cele requested R1 million as gratification to assist in retrieving Matlala’s firearms from the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Matlala explained that he had recently resigned as a company director. He said his sister, who was a director at the time, withdrew R300 000 before placing it in the Woolworths bag. The two then walked back to his luxury apartment in Menlyn Maine, Pretoria, where Cele was waiting.

“The cash was in a Woolworths shopping bag,” Matlala said. He provided details about the route from the bank, and carried the bag to the apartment where Cele had waited for him.

Matlala said he made a second cash payment of R200 000 at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Durban. He explained that the cash was also carried in a bag. He added that when he decided to stop the payments, he was supposed to give Cele another R300 000 but stopped taking his calls, knowing that the requests were unlikely to end.

During his testimony, Matlala mentioned that Cele’s son had expressed interest in buying a house in an area called Trafalgar in KwaZulu-Natal, which Matlala said he had never heard of.

Matlala continues to give evidence before the committee, which is examining the broader circumstances of his alleged involvement in the justice system.

The testimony has generated discussion on social media. One user wrote, “Some people have R300 000 worth of Woolies bags in their kitchen cupboards… Everywhere but where they’re needed, like the car, for when they go shopping!” Another commented, “Exactly why those Woolies bags cost a small fortune — the Gucci of grocery carriers.” A third user said, “Brown bags have become too obvious. Woolies bags are discreet.”

Matlala’s testimony is part of ongoing proceedings by the Ad Hoc Committee, which is reviewing allegations of corruption and improper influence involving senior officials.