Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala Abandons Bail Bid In R95,000 Waterkloof Lease Fraud Case

Alleged underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala has abandoned his bail application in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court in a case involving an allegedly fraudulent luxury property lease.

The property in Waterkloof Heights reportedly cost R95,000 a month. His lawyer said the defence intends to deal with a separate case in Johannesburg before revisiting bail.

Cat Matlala Abandons Bail In Waterkloof Lease Fraud Case

Matlala was seeking release in a case in which the State alleges that he, his wife Tsakene and two co-accused acted together in January 2025 to falsify documents to secure the lease.

The accused face charges including fraud, forgery and uttering. Matlala also faces a charge of contravening the Identification Act linked to an allegedly forged Eswatini identity document.

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His lawyer, Simon Ramalamula, told the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court that Matlala was abandoning his bail application because the State intended to oppose his release. The defence indicated that it would first focus on the proceedings in Johannesburg.

"We decided that we're abandoning bail on this matter at this stage so that we can first deal with the matter in Joburg, then we can come back and apply for bail."

Cat Matlala To Focus On Johannesburg Attempted Murder Trial

The Cat Matlala bail decision comes as he and his wife face a separate trial in the Johannesburg High Court alongside three co-accused.

The group faces a combined 25 charges of attempted murder. Matlala’s lawyer indicated that the defence wants to deal with that case before returning to the question of bail in Pretoria.

Cat Matlala Case Expected Back In Court In November

The Cat Matlala fraud case is expected to resume on 2 November. The allegations concerning the Waterkloof Heights lease and the identity document remain before the court, and Matlala has not been convicted of the charges. His decision to abandon the current bail application does not amount to an admission of guilt.