Brigadier Rachel Matjeng is continuing her testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry this morning, facing questions about potential conflicts of interest in her dealings with alleged crime boss Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
She explained that she got involved in the SAPS’s R360 million health contract to prevent the police service from wasting even more money on her romantic partner, the alleged cartel leader.
During her testimony, Matjeng admitted she was in a relationship with Matlala while his company, Medicare24 Tshwane District, was hired to provide health services for SAPS members.
But she stressed that her involvement wasn’t wrong. It was all about avoiding unnecessary spending.
The contract, which started in June 2024, ran into big problems and got canceled in May 2025 due to claims of major issues.
A key part of her story focused on a disputed claim for “non-arrivals”—SAPS members who supposedly didn’t show up for medical check-ups.
Matlala planned to bill for 337 of these, but SAPS records only showed 140.
Matjeng said her worry was that SAPS shouldn’t lose money. “If that claim had gone through, we’d be paying for people who weren’t supposed to be charged for,” she told the commission.
She admitted sharing a list of names with Matlala, but said it wasn’t part of any invoice and was within her job duties.
She insisted she was just fixing an overblown claim before it hit the payment desk.
One of the commissioners wasn’t buying it, asking why she meddled in something that wasn’t her responsibility.
“You didn’t need to jump in,” the commissioner said. “You’re not handling the contract. The SAPS system would’ve caught and fixed it.”
Matjeng disagreed, pointing out that SAPS processes aren’t perfect.
She highlighted possible delays and mistakes, especially with claims needing a Certificate of Fitness, which involves medical results and several sign-offs.
On top of the contract stuff, Matjeng confirmed her personal connection with Matlala, which has put her under the spotlight.
She shared that during their relationship, he gave her gifts like flowers, chocolates, and took her out for lunches.