Matlala Refuses to Answer Questions on Payments

Vusumuzi Matlala declined to explain money he paid to Brigadier Rachel Matjeng before the Madlanga Commission.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Corruption

Matlala Refuses to Answer Questions on Payments

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Vusumuzi Matlala refused to answer questions about payments he made to Brigadier Rachel Matjeng while giving evidence to the Madlanga Commission. Matjeng was dismissed from the police in June 2026 after presenting evidence to the commission and faces criminal charges alongside Matlala.

Why it matters

The commission is investigating corruption in South Africa's security sectors, and the refusal to answer questions on payments to a senior police officer raises questions about how bribery allegations will be resolved. Matlala said details about the money are before the courts, leaving the financial links between him and Matjeng unresolved.

Matlala acknowledged paying R300 000 to Brigadier Rachel Matjeng, and tender amounts allegedly linked to the SAPS budget total R360 million. Matlala declined to explain the payments, and the details are to be tested in court.

The players

Vusumuzi Matlala

Matlala is a businessman who gave evidence before the Madlanga Commission and faces criminal charges alongside Matjeng.

Brigadier Rachel Matjeng

Matjeng is a former senior police officer who was dismissed from the South African Police Service in June 2026 and faces criminal charges.

Shadrack Sibiya

Sibiya is a former senior police official named in evidence about animals and permits given by Matlala.

Madlanga Commission

The Madlanga Commission is a South African inquiry investigating corruption in the country's security sectors.

The details

Matlala said he paid bribes to Matjeng to obtain information about tenders, and Matjeng said money in her accounts came from Matlala because they were lovers. Matlala also said he gave Shadrack Sibiya 20 impala, with the permit issued to a different person, and the commission will conclude hearing his evidence on Wednesday.

June 2026: Matjeng was dismissed from the police after presenting evidence to the commission.
10 November 2026: Matlala refused to answer questions at the Madlanga Commission.
Wednesday: The commission will conclude hearing Matlala's evidence.

Legal Context

The Madlanga Commission was established to examine corruption across South Africa's security sectors, and its hearings have produced testimony that links private businesspeople to senior police officials. Matlala's refusal to answer questions on payments reflects how witnesses facing criminal charges may invoke protections when their answers could be used against them.

Residents of South Africa are affected because the outcome of the commission's inquiry into security-sector corruption shapes public trust in the police and how tender spending is overseen. The dismissal of a senior officer and the pending criminal charges show how allegations of bribery can carry direct consequences for those in public service.

The takeaway

Allegations of bribery in public institutions are tested through commissions and courts, and the answers witnesses give or withhold can determine how those cases move forward. Readers following the story can track the commission's proceedings and any court filings for the next developments.

What happens next

The Madlanga Commission will conclude hearing Matlala's evidence on Wednesday, and the criminal charges against him and Matjeng will be decided in court.