“I’ll Hit Back Very Strong”: Final WhatsApp Exchanges Read at Madlanga Commission Before Cat Matlala’s Arrest

The Madlanga Commission has already shocked South Africans with tales of political meddling and criminal favouritism. But this week, the drama moved from boardrooms to WhatsApp chats, as investigators unpacked the final known messages of businessman Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala, sent just hours before his arrest.

Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo of Crime Intelligence took the commission through private WhatsApp conversations between Matlala and fellow businessman Brown Mogotsi, revealing a relationship once fuelled by money and influence that had devolved into distrust, threats, and desperation.

From Benefactor to Fury

Earlier testimony painted Matlala as a generous fixer who bankrolled alliesincluding Mogotsiuntil a major fallout earlier this year. The trigger? A R360 million health risk management contract awarded to one of Matlala’s companies was abruptly cancelled by Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola.

Matlala sent Mogotsi a news article about the cancellation, adding bitterly:

“This was done under the minister’s instructions… I’m not taking this lightly.”

Mogotsi ignored him.

The Final Exchange, Hours Before His Arrest

Between 7:39am and 8:30am on 14 May, Matlala sent a series of increasingly agitated messages to Mogotsi. His tone shifted from probing to confrontational.

Matlala: “Morning, just to let you know my contract was cancelled yesterday… I’m taking all this to media and court.”
Mogotsi: “Cancelled?”
Mogotsi: “This is the right time to know the truth… if the minister or officials are involved.”
Matlala: “By Friday if they don’t withdraw I’ll hit back very strong.”
Mogotsi: “I don’t think so.”

The last message from Mogotsi read:

“We can’t lose a contract whereas too many people r looking for tenders.”

By that afternoon, Matlala was in police custody, arrested on attempted murder charges.

South Africans React “This Is How Power Wars Look in Real Time”

On social media, South Africans were quick to weigh in:

• “Forget Netflix, these WhatsApp leaks are the real crime drama,” one user posted.

• Others speculated about who the unnamed “Minister” in the chats might be, with many pointing fingers at Senzo Mchunu or Bheki Cele, both previously accused of interference at the same commission.

• Some, more cynical, suggested the messages were “less about justice and more about sour business deals gone wrong.”

A Glimpse Into the Tenders Underworld

The WhatsApp logs don’t just expose a personal fallout. They provide a rare look into how business, politics, and policing bleed into one another in South Africa.

This wasn’t just two friends arguing.
It was two politically connected players negotiating the fallout of a multimillion-rand contract collapse, with references to Ministers, affidavits, and threats of going “to media and court.”

What’s Next at the Commission?

The commission adjourned shortly after the messages were read. Khumalo is expected to continue presenting more WhatsApp correspondence, suggesting there may be even more explosive digital trails to uncover.

If these chats are anything to go by, South Africa is about to get an unfiltered look into the dark side of tender politics, where alliances crumble and screenshots become weapons.

{Source: The Citizen}

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