Businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and his four co-accused are set to stand trial from July 20, 2026, in the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Johannesburg after the legal representation of one of the accused was finally confirmed, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Tuesday.
The trial was able to proceed after lawyers representing accused Musa Kekana informed the State that they had received the necessary financial instructions to continue with his defence, removing the final obstacle to the long-awaited proceedings.
Matlala will stand trial alongside Kekana, Tiego Floyd Mabusela, Tsakani Matlala and Zandile Nzama on a combined 25 charges. The charges include 11 counts of attempted murder arising from three separate shooting incidents that the State alleges occurred between August 2022 and January 2024.
The prosecution also alleges that the accused engaged in money laundering linked to the alleged criminal enterprise. According to the State, they used a fraudulent invoice in an attempt to conceal the origin of the funds and mislead the court.
In a related development, the court has directed the Office of the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) to respond by July 11, 2026, to representations submitted by Nzama, the fifth accused. Her representations were previously rejected by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in Johannesburg, and the NDPP must now indicate how it intends to proceed ahead of the trial.
Accused one, two and three remain in custody, while accused four and five remain out on bail after their bail conditions were extended pending the start of the trial.
The NPA said it was ready to proceed with the matter.
“The National Prosecuting Authority remains committed to presenting its case before the court and is confident that the evidence to be led during the trial will assist the court in reaching a just outcome,” the authority said.
The case has attracted widespread public interest because of the seriousness of the allegations, which include attempted murder, money laundering and fraud. With the trial now set to begin on 20 July, the State is expected to present its evidence against Matlala and his co-accused before the Johannesburg High Court.
karabo.ngoepe@iol.co.za
IOL News
