Alleged underworld kingpin Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala has withdrawn from his plea and sentence agreement with the State in the R228 million South African Police Service Medicare24 health and wellness tender fraud case after rejecting a harsher prison sentence proposed by the court.

Matlala appeared briefly in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday alongside his co accused, where the plea agreement was formally declared null and void. The matter was postponed to 11 September 2026 to allow the prosecution and defence to determine how the case will proceed.

The development follows concerns raised by Magistrate Ignatius du Preez over the sentence contained in the original agreement.

The plea and sentence agreement had proposed an effective eight year prison sentence. However, the magistrate indicated that an effective 12 year sentence would be more appropriate, prompting Matlala and his co accused to withdraw from the agreement.

Addressing the accused in court, Du Preez asked whether they confirmed their decision to withdraw from the agreement.

“Matlala, I’ve been informed by counsel on your behalf, in respect of yourself, accused two and three, that it is your choice to withdraw from the plea and sentence agreement as you decline to accept the court’s recommended sentence. Do you confirm that this is the position in respect of yourself?”

Matlala confirmed the position. The magistrate then asked accused two and accused three whether they also confirmed the decision, and both replied in the affirmative.

“The plea and sentence agreement is then to be regarded as null and void,” Du Preez ruled.

Before adjourning the proceedings, the magistrate said the matter would return to court on 11 September.

“Matlala, the matter against you, as well as accused two and three, is then postponed until the 11th day of September 2026. It is in order for the prosecution and defence to determine the way forward in the matter, as the plea and sentence agreement has now been declared null and void. You will remain in custody. Do you understand?”

Matlala replied: “Yes.”

Outside court, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago confirmed that the plea agreement had officially fallen away and that the prosecution would now continue with the case.

“It is official that the plea and sentence agreement is null and void. We are coming back on 11 September so that this matter can be dealt with and he can be enrolled with the other accused,” Kganyago told journalists.

Asked about the implications of Matlala’s earlier statement, in which he allegedly implicated several individuals, Kganyago said the prosecution would not be relying on that statement as evidence.

“We can’t use the statement. We have to do our own investigation and get our own evidence the way we did with others. Therefore, investigations will continue,” he said.

Matlala faces charges linked to the awarding of the R228 million SAPS Medicare24 health and wellness tender, which forms part of a broader investigation into alleged corruption involving police procurement. With the plea agreement now abandoned, prosecutors are expected to proceed with the matter through the normal trial process while continuing investigations into the case and the other accused.