Suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi has admitted that a police clearance certificate used to vouch for tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala was fraudulent, while also lashing out at what he described as damage to his reputation.

Cat Matlala clearance certificate

The certificate, which indicated that Matlala had no prior criminal convictions, had been sent to Mkhwanazi by Medicare24 Holdings CEO Mike Van Wyk.

However, evidence leader Mahlape Sello revealed on Wednesday, 24 June, that the South African Police Service (Saps) had discredited the certificate, confirming that it was not authentic.

“The police clearance certificate purportedly issued to Mr Matlala has a discrepancy with regard to the unique transaction number and inquiry number, which do not reconcile to a specific police clearance certificate in question,” the police affidavit reads.

Further compounding concerns, Sello revealed that Saps found the document had originally been issued to another individual, while the signature appeared to have been forged, “although there are features that resemble those of the authorised person”.

Mkhwanazi acknowledged that the certificate was fraudulent.

“I can’t contest that,” he remarked.

According to Saps records, Matlala has a conviction dating back to 2001, when he was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for housebreaking and theft.

Peace corps

The certificate had been submitted as part of efforts to include Matlala in a peace corps-style volunteer programme.

The initiative, proposed by Van Wyk, aimed to deploy volunteers to assist with traffic control, school crossings and community events.

Mkhwanazi explained that such roles required vetting to ensure the peace corps members did not have criminal records.

“You can’t allow a criminal to work with school kids, communities, and to control traffic because they will take advantage of that.”

He explained that he did not personally verify the documentation submitted by applicants.

Instead, Mkhwanazi forwarded the certificate provided by Van Wyk to another division within EMPD.

He also drew distinction between peace corps members and fully empowered law enforcement officers.

“[Gauteng] traffic wardens, they are peace corps in the province. Their duties and responsibilities are not the same powers of the commissioners of oath and the judges.”

Watch the Madlanga commission below:

The commission previously heard that Van Wyk introduced Mkhwanazi to Matlala in 2021.

This ultimately led to Matlala’s companies – including Medicare24 Tshwane District and CAT VIP Protection – forming an unofficial working relationship with the EMPD.

As part of this arrangement, several private vehicles linked to Matlala were registered under the City of Ekurhuleni and fitted with blue lights.

A memorandum of understanding was also drafted to extend similar privileges to Medicare24 and Anubis Protection Services, another entity owned by Van Wyk.

‘Character assassination’

As proceedings continued, Mkhwanazi turned his frustration toward the commission itself, accusing it of selective scrutiny and failing to subject other EMPD witnesses to the same level of examination.

He also reiterated his denial of any involvement in the alleged kidnapping of EMPD spokesperson Kelebogile Thepa.

“There’s an article about Julius Mkhwanazi every day… It’s character assassination. It is happening, and the commission is allowing it.”

Retired judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga, who chairs the inquiry, pushed back on the criticism, stating that the commission does not have authority over media reporting.