Tenderpreneur and alleged member of a drug cartel Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala will appear before the ad hoc committee on Wednesday, its chairperson Soviet Lekganyane said on Tuesday evening.
Addressing media at Kgosi Mampuru Prison where the committee is holding hearings this week, Lekganyane said: “They [Matlala and his lawyer] have [now] requested that we start at 11am which is something that is not unusual.”
In a letter to the committee on Tuesday afternoon, Matlala’s lawyers raised concerns about the time constraints as they needed to prepare their client.
“The share amount of documents and affidavits that was provided made it virtually impossible for Mr Matlala to be ready to adduce evidence, coupled with the dire circumstances of his detention with its own shortcomings and restrictions,” the letter read in part.
Matlala is currently detained at Kgoši Mampuru II Correctional Facility in Pretoria for the attempted murder of his former girlfriend, actor Tebogo Thobejane.
The ad hoc committee moved its hearings to the prison this week so that it could hear his evidence. But his legal representative, Matlhatsi Abram Madira, said consulting with Matlala in prison has become “an absolute nightmare”.
He said at times they experienced network difficulties in C Max and that the infrastructure was not conducive for a productive consultation, as “there are no proper facilities”.
Madira said the building itself was not user-friendly for lengthy consultations and that they could not meet the Wednesday deadline.
“The detention of Mr Matlala in the C Max prison has negatively affected our client’s health and mental capacity. This is an issue which was also raised during his bail application.
“During our consultation with Mr Matlala yesterday, we could pick up that he no longer comprehends some of the issues and we have noticed that he seemed disorientated. We have been instructed by client that his mental capacity is negatively affected by his incarceration and detention in the C Max [section of the prison],” Madira said.
He said it was for these reasons they wanted the proceedings to be adjourned to afford Matlala ample opportunity to prepare and consult with his legal team.
“Our client has expressed his willingness to participate with the commission and has at all material times engaged and assisted the evidence leaders. At times also with grave difficulty as he does not have access to any documents, laptops and making telephonic contact with [a] person who has some of the documents needed.”
Our client has expressed his willingness to participate with the commission and has at all material times engaged and assisted the evidence leaders
— Matlhatsi Abram Madira, legal representative
He said Matlala’s participation could only be meaningful if he was given an opportunity to properly and adequately prepare with the assistance of his legal representatives.
“In light of the above, we humbly request that the proceedings which are scheduled to take place tomorrow [Wednesday] be postponed to a future date, so that we are able to consult and advise our client accordingly to his best interest. This will also enable us to finalise his affidavit that needs to be presented to the commission prior to him giving evidence.”
The lawyers requested a response by 3pm on Tuesday, failing which they would file an urgent application to have the evidence postponed until proper consultation had taken place.
ActionSA MP Dereleen James reacted to the request on X, calling it a “stalingrad tactic” meant to frustrate the committee’s work.
“No WhatsApp threat from Matlala’s lawyers demanding a 3pm response by parliament to their demands will deter us from doing our job.
“Mr Matlala moet nie ons tyd mors nie (must not waste our time). The era of treating parliament with such disrespect will come to an end. Hy moet aankom! (He must show up!)”
Sowetan
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