Why businessman Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala's bail appeal was denied by Johannesburg High Court
The bail appeal brought by controversial businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala was dismissed by the Johannesburg High Court on Monday.
Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers
Johannesburg High Court Judge Pieter du Plessis found that it was not in the “interests of justice” for businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala to be released on bail.
Judge du Plessis on Monday handed down his ruling in the bail appeal that Matlala had brought in the high court after he was denied bail in the magistrate's court.
Matlala has been charged with attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend, actress Tebogo Thobejane. She was shot in the foot on the N1 highway near Sandton in 2023.
He also faces charges of conspiracy to commit murder and money laundering.
Matlala was denied bail in September at the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court after Magistrate Syta Prinsloo ruled that he had failed to demonstrate exceptional circumstances justifying his release and found that he posed a flight risk.
In his ruling, Judge du Plessis said the magistrate had relied on the wrong onus - exceptional circumstances - to decide the matter. However he found even using the correct onus - interests of justice - did not disturb most of the findings she had made with regard to the bail decision.
The judge said “weighing the interests of justice against the right of the Appellant (Matlala) to his personal freedom and in particular the prejudice he is likely to suffer, I conclude on a balance of probability the interest of justice will not be served by the release of the Appellant”.
Apart from his attempted murder case, Matlala has been named by Crime Intelligence boss Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo at the Madlanga Commission as a member of the so-called “Big Five” cartel which is involved in organised crime and corruption.
The State opposed bail claiming that Matlala allegedly had access to a private jet, had foreign assets in Mauritius, and was in possession of a fraudulent Eswatini identity document.
In response, Matlala’s legal representative, Advocate Laurance Hodes, SC, said his client denied these allegations and said the State had misled the court.
Hodes said there was no evidence of the assets and therefore nothing to indicate that Matlala was a flight risk.
He added that Matlala had been aware of the investigation since December 2024 and had consistently cooperated with authorities, including undergoing a 10-hour interrogation.