Cat Matlala allegedly sent a video showing cocaine being weighed to Medicare24 chief executive Michael van Wyk. The claim was made during testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry this week. The video became part of the evidence package put before the commission on Friday.
Matlala is a former SAPS supplier whose company won a large police uniform tender. He has been linked in earlier testimony to the missing R200 million cocaine case that has dogged the police service for years. The Madlanga Commission is the official body looking into the matter and into wider corruption inside SAPS.
Van Wyk is the chief executive of Medicare24, a private company that was awarded a R360 million SAPS health services tender. That tender has since been cancelled. Van Wyk has been called to testify in front of the commission about his contact with Matlala.
The key facts from the testimony so far are summarised below:
- Matlala – Former SAPS supplier, key witness in the cocaine probe
- Van Wyk – CEO of Medicare24, recipient of the alleged video
- Medicare24 tender – R360 million SAPS contract, now cancelled
- Missing cocaine – About R200 million in street value, vanished from SAPS storage
- Madlanga Commission – Official inquiry led by retired Judge Sandile Madlanga
- Hearing dates – Open hearings began in March 2026 and continue through 2026
The video was first mentioned by a SAPS witness who used to work close to Matlala. The witness told the commission that Matlala shared the clip on WhatsApp in late 2025. The clip allegedly shows a scale and several plastic bags of white powder being weighed.
The commission has not yet shown the video to the public. The legal team handling the evidence said it must first be authenticated. Independent forensic experts are checking the metadata of the clip and the chain of custody.
Van Wyk has not yet given his own testimony. His lawyers have said he will appear when called by the commission. They have rejected the claim that he is a partner in any drug related activity.
Medicare24 has issued a short statement. The company said it has no link to drug trafficking and that any video shared with the CEO does not reflect company business. It said it has cooperated with the SAPS audit and with the Treasury review of the cancelled tender.
The Hawks are also looking into the video. Senior detectives from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation have been briefed by the commission. The Hawks may bring fresh charges once the forensic results are complete.
The KZN crime intelligence head Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has already given his own testimony to the commission. He said the missing cocaine case shows how deep the rot in some parts of SAPS has gone. He has called for a special unit to follow the money trail.
The Madlanga Commission is set to continue with public hearings through July and August. Van Wyk is expected to appear in the second half of July. A full interim report from the commission is due by the end of 2026 with final findings expected in early 2027.
Sara Blake is Mzansi Online’s lead correspondent for breaking news and national affairs. She covers South African politics, parliament, crime and safety, social justice and community issues across all nine provinces. From ANC policy debates to service delivery protests, Sara reports with clarity and purpose, ensuring readers are informed about the decisions that shape their lives. She is committed to accurate, fair and people-first journalism in line with South Africa’s democratic values.