Matlala drops bail bid in case involving alleged royal identity
PRETORIA — Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala has abandoned his bail application in a fraud case involving a luxury Pretoria home, putting the anticipated hearing on hold while his lawyers focus on a separate attempted murder prosecution.
Matlala was expected to apply for bail on Wednesday over allegations that fraudulent documents were used to secure a Waterkloof Heights property costing R95,000 a month. His legal team instead told the court that he would not proceed with the application at this stage.
According to his lawyers, the decision allows him to first attend to his separate attempted murder trial, which is expected to resume in November. He retains the option of bringing a bail application in the lease case later.
The property matter was postponed to 29 October for further investigations. Wednesday’s decision was a withdrawal by the defence, rather than a court ruling refusing bail.
The prosecution centres on a rental agreement allegedly obtained through false identification and financial documents in January 2025. Prosecutors allege that Matlala and three co-accused acted together to submit falsified paperwork through a real estate agency to secure the property.
The State alleges that the documents included fraudulent identification and falsified bank statements intended to support the rental application.
Prosecutors previously said Matlala unlawfully possessed an identity document bearing the name Vusumusi Dlamini between 13 and 21 January 2025. They further alleged that he presented himself as having connections to the Eswatini royal household to persuade the agency that he could afford the rent.
Those claims form part of the prosecution’s case and have not been established at trial.
Matlala faces fraud, forgery and uttering charges, together with an additional charge under the Identification Act. The uttering allegations concern the presentation of allegedly forged documents as genuine.
His wife, Tsakane Matlala, and co-accused Given Makofane and Claudette Masethe were previously granted bail of R20,000 each. The State did not oppose their release, but had indicated that it would oppose Matlala’s application.
Their bail conditions include restrictions on contacting State witnesses. Their release does not resolve the allegations against them, and all four accused remain subject to the continuing prosecution.
The abandoned application means the court did not hear the anticipated arguments for Matlala’s release in this matter. His legal team’s stated intention to revisit bail after dealing with the separate prosecution leaves the timing of any renewed application uncertain.
For the lease case, investigators will continue their work ahead of the next appearance on 29 October. The prosecution will ultimately have to prove its allegations that the accused knowingly used false documents to secure the Waterkloof Heights home.
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