Lead thread
The Tender
A R360m police health contract, a company that allegedly should have been disqualified, and the officers now in the dock beside Matlala.
- 31 Jan 2024On record
Tender advertised
SAPS advertises a three-year health risk management contract (medical screenings, injury-on-duty checks) with bids closing 19 Feb 2024. Twenty-two bids come in.
- Early 2024Alleged
Bid allegedly rigged from inside
The State says SAPS Captain Brian Cartwright helped prepare Medicare24's bid and then chaired the committee that evaluated it.
- Mar–May 2024On record
Flagged as irregular
SAPS CFO Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane told Parliament the contract was flagged as possible irregular expenditure in March 2024 and confirmed irregular in May. R466m was disclosed as irregular expenditure.
- Jun 2024On record
Medicare24 wins
Medicare24 Tshwane District is awarded the contract. The charge sheet puts the awarded price at R228,665,280 — the lowest of 22 bids, against a budget of about R360m. The State says the company misrepresented its address, capabilities and staff.
The Citizen, 25 Mar 2026IOL, 25 Mar 2026IOL, 26 Mar 2026 (charge sheet)
- 24 Dec 2024On record
Minister orders a probe
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu tells SAPS management to look into the contract over non-performance.
- 13 May 2025On record
Contract cancelled
Masemola told the commission the contract was cancelled on 13 May 2025 after the probe found corruption, fraud and failure to deliver. He told a different parliamentary committee in Oct 2025 it had been cancelled 'in April'.
EWN, 23 Sep 2025IOL, 10 Oct 2025 (Masemola to Parliament's ad hoc committee)Police Minister's reply, People's Assembly, 14 Aug 2025
- 24–25 Mar 2026On record
12 police officers arrested
The NPA's anti-corruption unit (IDAC) arrests 12 officers and Medicare24 Group MD James Murray. All except Matlala get bail of R40,000–R80,000.
- 25 Jun 2026On record
Matlala pleads guilty
He pleads guilty to fraud, corruption and money laundering under a plea deal, and agrees to testify against his co-accused.
- 26 Jun 2026On record
NPA moves to recover the money
The NPA says its Asset Forfeiture Unit will pursue part of the R50m paid to Medicare24, adding that prosecutors told the court a large portion was allegedly used to pay bribes.
- 1 Jul 2026On record
Plea deal rejected
Magistrate Ignatius du Preez rules eight years too lenient and proposes 12.
- 13 Jul 2026On record
Matlala walks away
He rejects 12 years; the agreement is declared null and void and the guilty plea falls away.
- 25 Sep 2026On record
Joined to the main trial
His case moves to the Pretoria Regional Court to join the police officials. Charges against suspended National Commissioner Fannie Masemola had been withdrawn earlier.
- 29 Sep 2026On record
NDPP orders a review of the whole case
The State tells the court a case review assessment team has been appointed to consider the matter in its entirety; the matter is postponed to 17 Nov 2026.
- 7 Oct 2026On record
The cost outside the rands
Police management told Parliament's police portfolio committee that SAPS could not enlist its 2025/26 intake at all, because the cancelled contract was the one that provided the mandatory pre-enlistment medical assessments.
- 26 Oct 2026Alleged
Draft affidavit leaks
His unsigned plea statement describes alleged arrangements with senior police, including 20 impalas for Shadrack Sibiya. The NPA says it cannot be used in new prosecutions.
Follow the money
Amounts as reported in testimony and the press. None is a court finding; everyone is presumed innocent.
- R228,665,280On record
SAPS (contract value, not a payment) → Medicare24 Tshwane District
The awarded contract price in the charge sheet — the lowest of 22 bids, against a budget of about R360m. This figure is the price of the contract, not money that left SAPS.
The Mercury, 26 Mar 2026 (charge sheet)SAnews, 25 Mar 2026 (NPA statement)
- just over R50m (R50.3m)On record
SAPS → Medicare24 Tshwane District
What the NPA and Matlala's own plea admissions put as the amount actually paid out before the contract was cancelled in May 2025.
SAnews, 25 Mar 2026 (NPA statement)Current Affairs ZA, 25 Jun 2026 (plea admissions)Jacaranda FM, 29 Sep 2026
- > R50mAlleged
SAPS → Medicare24 Tshwane District
Counsel put it to witnesses that over R50m was paid between March and June 2025 — after the contract was flagged as irregular.
- R10m or R15mDenied
Suliman Carrim → Medicare24
Carrim says he lent R10m hoping for R10m in return. Matlala says it was R15m, agreed orally with an unsigned contract.
Disputed: The two men disagree on the amount; Carrim denies any wrongdoing.
Madlanga Commission, Day 74 (10 Mar 2026)TimesLIVE, 18 Aug 2026
- R2.12mAlleged
Carrim's company (Tamiz/Tameez) → Medicare24
Two deposits (R1m on 27 Jun 2024, R1.12m on 7 Oct 2024) shown in bank records. Carrim says he did not authorise them and only learnt of them from his lawyers.
Disputed: Carrim says he did not know about these payments.
Sowetan, 11 Mar 2026Madlanga Commission, Day 74 (10 Mar 2026)
- R1.75mAlleged
Medicare24 / Matlala → Suliman Carrim
Carrim says he received this in February 2025 as part repayment.
- R500k (R750k asked)Denied
Suliman Carrim → Luthagha Trading Enterprise, linked to Maumela's sister
Carrim says Matlala asked him in March 2025 to pay R750k to Maumela; he refused and paid R500k into the Luthagha account instead, saying he wanted to 'keep Matlala happy'. Evidence leaders flagged it as possible money laundering.
Disputed: Carrim calls it a lawful business deal and says Matlala and Mogotsi 'played' him.
Madlanga Commission, Day 74 (10 Mar 2026)Sowetan, 11 Mar 2026
- > R42mAlleged
Carrim's company Ziggy → Luthaga Trading Enterprises
Reported in Carrim's testimony as payments between Dec 2023 and Nov 2024. Money meant for Maumela was allegedly routed through Carrim because Matlala also owed Carrim money.
- R20m (proposed)Alleged
Mr Motsumi → Medicare24
April 2025 loan agreement to save the contract: repayable at 20% of monthly net profit until July 2027 or until R100m was received, with an acknowledgement of debt signed by Tsakane Matlala on 25 Apr 2025.
- R37k + R111kAlleged
Matlala → Brown Mogotsi
WhatsApp messages shown to the commission record payments, including '111K is paid' on 9 Jan 2025.
Disputed: Mogotsi denies wrongdoing.
- ≈ R338k + giftsDenied
Matlala → Brig Rachel Matjeng
Payments and gifts she called presents from a boyfriend, unrelated to the tender. SAPS dismissed her for misconduct; criminal charges remain.
Disputed: Matjeng says these were personal gifts.
- R70,000Denied
Matlala → Maj-Gen Richard 'Gucci general' Shibiri
Shibiri called it an emergency loan to repair his car during financial hardship. Bank records shown to the commission put more than R100,000 in his accounts at the time, and he bought luxury goods in Sandton shortly afterwards.
Disputed: Shibiri says it was a loan, not gratification.
- R14.2mOn record
Medicare24 Tshwane District → SARS (tax demand)
A final demand for outstanding taxes served on Matlala's company in Sep 2026 — money owed back to the state while his criminal cases run.
- part of the R50mOn record
Medicare24 / Matlala → SAPS (via the Asset Forfeiture Unit)
The NPA said in June 2026 it planned to recover part of the R50m paid to Medicare24, with the Asset Forfeiture Unit to handle it 'when the time comes'. No recovery figure has been made public.
Disputed: Nothing has been recovered on the public record as at 2 Nov 2026.
EWN, 26 Jun 2026 (NPA moves to recover R50m)Jacaranda FM, 29 Sep 2026
- ≈ R173.1mOn record
SAPS → Metropolitan Health (Pty) Ltd
The contract Matlala's company took over: a three-year health risk services deal from 16 Oct 2020 to 15 Oct 2023, extended eight months to 15 Jun 2024. SAPS did not award a replacement after cancelling Medicare24's contract.
Acting Police Minister's reply, People's Assembly, 16 Dec 2025
Gaps still to fill
- How much of the just-over-R50m the Asset Forfeiture Unit actually recovers — the move was announced in June 2026, but no recovery figure is on the public record as at 2 Nov 2026.
- A figure to keep straight: R228,665,280 is the awarded contract price; just over R50m is what was paid out. The commission's own case page still says 'about R228 million paid', which reads as a conflation of the two and needs checking against the commission record before publication.
- Whether the Carrim/Maumela money was investment, loans or laundering — the commission has made no finding.
- SAPS has not published what it received in service for the roughly R50m it paid, beyond saying the provider failed to deliver.
- The SIU's roughly R900m preservation order over assets linked to Maumela's alleged syndicate arises from the Tembisa Hospital matter, not the Medicare24 contract — the two must not be merged.
In the dock
Charged with corruption, fraud and breaking public finance law. All presumed innocent.
- Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala
- James George Murray (Medicare24 Group MD)
- Capt Brian Cartwright
- Brig Rachel Matjeng
- Brig Alpheus Thembinkosi Ngema
- Brig Patrick Nethengwe
- Col Tumisho Nehemiah Maleka
- Maj-Gen Busisiwe Temba
- Brig Kirsty Jonker
- Brig Petunia Lenono
- Brig Ofentse Tlhoale
- Col Nonjabulo Mngadi
- Col Anton Paulsen
- Col Johannes Monyai
- Medicare24 Tshwane District (company)
- Luxo Africa Brand Investments (company)
Open questions
Leads to chase, not findings.
- How much of the just-over-R50m paid to Medicare24 will the Asset Forfeiture Unit recover, and where did the rest go?
- Why were charges against Fannie Masemola withdrawn, and why was he suspended?
- Who in SAPS top management knew the contract was irregular in March 2024, yet it was still awarded in June?
- Do the claims in the leaked draft affidavit hold up without Matlala as a state witness?