Court postpones Cat Matlala hearing to June 17 as legal wrangles continue

The Johannesburg High Court has postponed proceedings in the Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala matter to Wednesday, June 17, 2026, after further pre‑trial delays as the State and defence continue to prepare for a 25‑charge case involving five accused.

Who is in the dock

The accused who appeared in court on Monday are: Musa Kekana (accused one), Tiego Floyd Mabusela (accused two), Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala (accused three) and Tsakani Matlala (accused four). Nthabiseng Nzama (accused five) did not appear in court.

Charges and allegations

The group faces 25 charges, including 11 counts of attempted murder linked to three separate shooting incidents allegedly carried out between August 2022 and January 2024. The State alleges the accused orchestrated the shootings, laundered money related to the alleged plot and used a fraudulent invoice to conceal the source of funds and mislead the court.

Specific allegations against Matlala include charges connected to an alleged failed assassination attempt on his former girlfriend, Tebogo Thobejane, and the shootings of taxi boss Joe Sibanyoni and music producer Seunkie “DJ Vetteys” Mokubong.

Monday’s hearing and court directions

Proceedings were delayed on Monday because of continuing legal processes and the matter was postponed to Wednesday, June 17, 2026. Acting Judge William Karam granted the legal team of accused one leave to withdraw from the matter and ordered that the new attorney be provided with additional memory sticks received from the State so defence teams would have full access to available material.

The court directed that accused one, two and three remain in custody. Accused four was confirmed as being on bail, with that bail extended until the adjourned date and a warning to appear on that day. The court also ordered that an endorsement be made so that accused two receives the necessary medical attention pertaining to his eyes as soon as possible.

Next steps and the trial date

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Gauteng previously confirmed on May 8 that the trial is set to commence on July 20, 2026. The State says it remains ready to proceed on that scheduled date.

Nthabiseng Nzama has indicated an intention to make representations to the Office of the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NPDD) after earlier representations were declined by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

What to watch for

• Whether the new legal team for accused one accepts the assignment and receives the full disclosure provided on memory sticks.
• Medical attention for accused two as endorsed by the court.
• Any further pre‑trial applications or requests for particulars from the defence ahead of the trial date.