WATCH: Cat Matlala's lover, Brigadier Rachel Matjeng, continues her testimony at the Madlanga Commission

The Madlanga Commission will on Friday morning continue to hear the testimony of SAPS quality management head, Brigadier Rachel Matjeng, who on Thursday revealed her on-and-off relationship with attempted murder accused and alleged drug cartel head Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala.

On the completion of her appearance, Matjeng is expected to be followed by businessman Suliman Carrim, who was compelled by the Gauteng Division of the High Court to comply with the commission's summons to testify. 

Carrim was implicated by Witness X as having been the link between Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Matlala.  

It was alleged that Carrim, identified as an ANC activist, received R1.5 million from Matlala, who had been dubbed an underworld criminal operative and a central figure in allegations of corruption among senior police officers, which is being investigated by the commission and Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee.

The commission, which investigates allegations of criminality, political interference, and corruption in the criminal justice system, has been presented with WhatsApp messages in which Carrim appeared to have assisted with invoices and payments related to Matlala’s contract with the SAPS.

It was alleged that after Matlala realised that Mchunu had terminated the R360 million contract, which the SAPS had awarded to Matlala’s company, Medicare24 Tshwane District, Carrim organised a meeting between Matlala and Mchunu to discuss the matter. 

After Carrim was summoned to appear before the commission on February 6, he urgently sought an interdict against the subpoena in court.

It remains unknown what time Carrim would take the hot seat, as the commission would first conclude questioning Matjeng before dealing with him. 

In the statement released on January 29, President Cyril Ramaphosa listed Matjeng among five senior police managers whom the commission found to have prima facie evidence of wrongdoing, and who should be subjected to a criminal investigation by a special investigations task team to be established by Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia and National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola.

During her testimony, Matjeng, a section head of Quality Management in Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management at the Forensic Services Division in Pretoria, denied allegations that she received R300,000 from Matlala in exchange for helping his company to score a R360 million police contract.

The contract was later terminated after it was found to be corrupt and irregular. 

However, she admitted to receiving money from Matlala as a gift from a boyfriend. Some of this money was deposited into a bank account belonging to her friend Modiegi Kekana, the owner of Osizweni Meat Market. She said another amount of money was deposited into her FNB account. 

"I have never borrowed money from Matlala, and the money I received in 2017 was a gift from a boyfriend. 

“None of the gifts or monies from him were related to me having the awarding of the tender or execution thereof, as I started receiving them from 2017 while being in our on-and-off relationship," she told the commission.

She was due to complete her testimony on Thursday afternoon, but after realising that she would need more time to answer questions, Judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga, retired Constitutional Court Judge, postponed the matter to Friday.

bongani.hans@inl.co.za