Alleged underworld kingpin Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala is set to be rejoined with 14 other accused in the R228 million Medicare24 Tshwane District corruption case after his matter was postponed in his absence on Friday.

Matlala was not physically present in court when the matter was heard at the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Friday, 11 September 2026.

His lawyer told the court that Matlala was attending his separate attempted murder trial at the Johannesburg High Court, where he is appearing alongside four co-accused.

The Pretoria matter was postponed to 25 September 2026 for Matlala and his two companies, Medicare24 Tshwane District and Luxo Africa Brand Investments, to be formally joined with the other accused.

The broader corruption case is expected to return to the Pretoria Regional Court on 29 September 2026.

Investigating Directorate Against Corruption spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the postponement was necessary following the separation of Matlala’s case after he entered into a plea and sentence agreement with the State, before later withdrawing from the agreement.

The State alleges that a contract worth approximately R228 million was irregularly awarded to Medicare24 Tshwane District, a company owned by Matlala.

The corruption case originally involved Matlala and 16 other accused, including senior police officials. The matter was separated after Matlala agreed to plead guilty and cooperate with the State as a potential Section 204 witness.

That agreement subsequently collapsed.

Matlala pleaded guilty in June to seven counts linked to fraud, corruption and money laundering. However, the court rejected the proposed sentence as too lenient. Matlala later rejected a heavier sentence and withdrew from the agreement.

The plea and sentence agreement was declared null and void, meaning the guilty plea fell away and the charges against Matlala and his companies are now to be dealt with as part of the main case.

The 14 other accused are facing allegations relating to the alleged irregular awarding of the Medicare24 contract. The National Prosecuting Authority has previously said the disclosure of the contents of the docket had been completed for all the accused.

The development comes as Matlala is simultaneously standing trial in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on a separate case involving alleged assassination attempts.

In that matter, Matlala is accused alongside his wife, Tsakane Matlala, Musa Kekana, Tiego Floyd Mabusela and Nthabiseng Zandile Nzama.

The five accused have pleaded not guilty to 25 charges, including attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, fraud, money laundering and firearms-related offences. The charges arise from alleged attempts to kill actress Tebogo Thobejane, taxi boss Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni and music producer Seunkie “DJ Vettys” Mokubung.

That trial is currently focused on a trial-within-a-trial concerning the circumstances surrounding Kekana’s arrest in April 2024 and whether evidence allegedly obtained after his arrest can be admitted.

The High Court recently ruled that affidavits submitted by Kekana during earlier bail proceedings were admissible.

Proceedings were again disrupted this week after Kekana’s defence introduced police vehicle tracking records relating to the day of his arrest. The State was given an opportunity to study the new material and respond.

The Johannesburg trial is scheduled to continue while Matlala’s separate Medicare24 corruption case is moved back towards the Pretoria Regional Court.

The NPA has maintained that Matlala’s withdrawal from the plea agreement does not weaken its corruption case and that it has sufficient evidence to proceed against the accused.

All the corruption and attempted murder allegations remain before the courts and have not been finally determined.