Masemola, 13 co-accused back in court over R228m SAPS tender

General Fannie Masemola and 13 co-accused are set to return to Pretoria Magistrate’s Court over charges connected to the contentious R228 million Medicare24 Tshwane tender. The case was first heard on June 26, when prosecutors indicated they would amend the charges brought against the defendants. Masemola’s legal team also sought additional materials, such as the case docket, but not all lawyers had provided their USB drives containing copies of the documents by the time of the hearing.

Masemola faces four charges under the Public Finance Management Act, relating to his alleged failure to carry out his duties as an accounting officer. Co-accused individuals are charged with fraud, corruption, and money laundering. The allegations concern the alleged improper awarding of a R228 million police health-services contract to Cat Matlala’s company, Medicare24 Tshwane District. The initial budget for the contract was around R360 million, but it was ultimately awarded for approximately R228 million.

Prosecutors claim that at least R50 million were paid out before the contract was cancelled in May 2025 following an internal audit that uncovered irregularities. Cat Matlala, a reputed crime boss and businessman, was separated from the group after an earlier court appearance. Two months later, after extensive negotiations, a plea and sentencing agreement between Matlala and the State was presented to the court.

Matlala pleaded guilty to all seven charges, including fraud, corruption, and money laundering, and was expected to testify against his former co-accused. The State and Matlala’s legal team proposed an eight-year sentence, but the magistrate rejected it as too lenient and recommended 12 years of direct imprisonment instead. Matlala subsequently exercised his right to withdraw from the agreement.