The R228 million Medicare24 Tshwane tender corruption case involving suspended national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola and 13 co-accused has been postponed to next month for transfer to the Pretoria Regional Court.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
The R228 million Medicare24 Tshwane tender corruption case involving suspended national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola and other senior police officials is set to be joined with that of alleged crime boss Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala next month.
The matter will be transferred to the regional court, where the accused will be joined by Matlala, the owner of Medicare24 Tshwane District.
The group appeared before the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on Friday morning.
Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the state had confirmed that disclosure of the contents of the docket had been completed for all the accused.
Matlala was not present in court.
Meanwhile, following the separation of the case against Matlala and his two companies, and his subsequent appearance at the Specialised Commercial Crime Court, where he withdrew from a plea and sentence agreement with the state, he is expected back in court on September 11, 2026, for his matter to be transferred back to the Pretoria Regional Court, where he and his two companies will be joined with the other 14 accused,” Mamothame said.
The accused face corruption-related charges stemming from the alleged irregular awarding of a contract worth about R228 million to Medicare24 Tshwane District, a company owned by Matlala.
**Accused lawyers request information on case docket **
Masemola and 13 co-accused previously appeared in court on June 26, when the state said it intended to amend the charges against them.
Their lawyers also requested access to additional information, including the case docket.
Most of the defence teams had handed over USB drives to receive copies of the documents, although not all had done so by the time of the hearing.
Masemola faces four counts of contravening the Public Finance Management Act over his alleged failure to fulfil his duties as an accounting officer. His co-accused face charges including fraud, corruption and money laundering.
The contract was initially budgeted at about R360 million but was ultimately awarded for about R228 million.
The state alleges that at least R50 million was paid out before the contract was cancelled in May 2025 after an internal audit flagged irregularities.
Matlala was separated from the group following an earlier court appearance.
The following day, after two months of negotiations, a plea and sentence agreement between Matlala and the state was placed before the court.
Under the agreement, Matlala pleaded guilty to all seven charges against him, including fraud, corruption and money laundering, and was expected to testify for the state against his former co-accused.
The state and Matlala’s legal team proposed a sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, with seven years suspended.
However, the magistrate rejected the proposed eight years of direct imprisonment as too lenient and recommended 12 years of direct imprisonment instead.
Matlala refused to accept the harsher term and exercised his right to withdraw from the agreement.
Masemola has denied the charges against him.
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