Businessman and alleged leader of Big Five cartel Vusimuzi Cat Matlala’s attempted murder case faces yet another chance of being postponed after the defence made multiple requests for a postponement before the 20 July start date.
Matlala and his four co-accused were arrested in May 2025 and face 25 charges, including 11 of attempted murder related to botched hit attempts between 2022 and 2024.
Musa Kekana and Tiego Mabusela, Matla’s two co-accused and alleged hitmen, have requested further time; Kekana so that his new lawyer could be available and Mabusela so that he could get medical attention.
Kekana informed the court that his defence counsel, Hlatshwayo Radebe, had withdrawn his services. However, Kekana's newly appointed attorney, Joe Strauss, was not present at the pre-trial hearing, therefore halting proceedings.
Mabusela told the court that he was having problems with his eyes and was unable to see in the first 15 minutes of waking. Officials at Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Services told his attorney that eye care medical services were offered only once a year.
Judge William Karam said Kekana’s new attorney must be present on Wednesday, 17 June, for the pre-trial hearing to commence.
“Everybody, including the court, has been at pains to get a trial and to ensure that the matter starts on the 20th July 2026 and runs uninterrupted.”
The judge said that if the new attorney was unavailable to attend court this week, then a special request would have to be made to the acting deputy judge president, Judge Aubrey Ledwaba.
The pre-trial was expected to conclude before the courts go on recess at the end of June.
“This is the last week and we don’t generally have matters heard unless they are part-heard trials or judgements to be delivered in the recess,” the judge said.
The pre-trial hearing started in the South Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, in January 2026 and has faced multiple postponements.
The co-accused face charges related to multiple botched shootings involving targets like socialite Tebogo Thobejane, businessman Joe Sibanyoni and DJ Vettys.
Alongside Matlala, the group of co-accused includes his wife Tsakane Matlala and Kekana's daughter Nthabiseng Nzama.
Matlala is also involved in another case with 13 other police officials and three company directors, among them National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola, in a controversial R360 million medicare contract.
The group is expected back at court during the pre-trial hearing on 26 June.
The magistrate ruled that Kekana’s counsel, Radebe, was given leave to withdraw from the matter.
“The court notes he is undertaking to furnish the new attorney, Mr Strauss with additional memory sticks that he has received from the state in order to ensure that the new representative will be in full possession of what Mr Redebe has in his possession pertaining to the defence of accused no.1 [Kekana],” the judge said.
He endorsed the J7 medical attention application for Mabusela, stating: “To the effect that he is, as soon as possible, to receive the necessary attention pertaining to his eyes”.
The pre-trial hearing will continue on Wednesday, 17 June 2026. Matlala, Kekana and Mabusela remain in custody while Tsakane and Zama are out on bail.