Mean while in South Africa , former South African police minister Bheki Cele admitted to Parliament that he slept at the mansion of Vusimuzi “Kat” Matlala a controversial businessman accused of attempted murder not once, but twice. But don’t call it a friendship, he clarified. It was a “freebie”: a complimentary stay, no strings attached.
“For the uninitiated,” Cele explained with a chuckle, “a freebie is something you get for free, like a hotel upgrade or a VIP pass. Matlala’s guest room was nicer than my own bedroom, so why not?” The catch? Cele met Matlala just once in December 2024 at Durban’s swanky Beverly Hills Hotel, after a police raid on Matlala’s premises. “We chatted, he invited me over. I was a retired pensioner, not in office no conflict of interest.”
But MPs weren’t sold. “Minister, a stranger offers you a luxury sleepover? No alarms bells?” asked ANC’s Xolani Nqola. Cele shrugged , “I’ve faced danger in the police. Matlala’s hospitality wasn’t a bribe it was ubuntu.” DA’s Ian Cameron quipped: “Would you crash at alleged crime lord Ralph Stanfield’s? wink”
Cele shot back, “Stanfield’s a rumor. Matlala’s a person I met. Big difference.”
The drama deepened , Matlala, facing attempted murder charges, allegedly uses his wealth to “smooth things over.” Cele insists , “I declared nothing because I wasn’t in government. Simple.”
Opposition MPs pressed on , “What if Matlala needed a police favor?” Cele’s reply? “I’m ex-police. No favors owed.”
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