Matlala: I was only a middleman in ‘white bricks’ deal

Pretoria – Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala has told the Madlanga Commission that he was merely a middleman in discussions about a consignment of white bricks, insisting he did not know exactly what the product was.

Matlala said he understood the substance to be a mining product after being told this by an associate, identified as Smanga. He maintained that the consignment did not belong to him and that he had no reason to establish its exact identity.

“First of all, it was not my product. So, I didn’t have to worry myself about getting the exact name of the product,” he told the commission.

He said he had simply forwarded information to people to help Smanga find potential buyers and establish a price.

Matlala was being questioned by advocate Mahlape Sello about a video allegedly sent to Mike van Wyk showing large white bricks being weighed.

Advocate Sello asked what was being weighed in the footage, Matlala said he could see the name “Prestige” but could not identify the product.

He also disputed the suggestion that the video originated from him, explaining that someone had first sent it to him before he forwarded it to van Wyk.

MADLANGA COMMISSION | Advocate Mahlape Sello is probing Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala over a video allegedly sent to Mike van Wyk, showing large white bricks being weighed. Matlala maintains the substance shown in the video was a mining product. https://t.co/7mVsXK7DZu

— SABC News (@SABCNews) November 11, 2026

Sello questioned why he had shared the footage and what he expected van Wyk to do with it.

Matlala said Smanga had told him that a client who owed him money had given him the product to sell. Smanga wanted to establish its market price, prompting Matlala to make enquiries and forward the video.

During the exchange, Matlala acknowledged that he had some understanding of the price being discussed. However, he said the amount quoted was considered too high and that potential buyers had shown no interest.

She also questioned who would normally buy the product, Matlala said people involved in the mining industry would understand it because he had been told it was a mining-related substance.

He denied having a personal financial interest in the consignment, saying he did not sell it or even see the product himself.

“I was not excited that maybe I have cocaine, I’ll make money out of it or whatever,” he said.

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