The Cat, the Hat and the Woolies shopping bags of money

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The Cat, the man with the iconic hat, and black Woolworths shopping bags filled with hard cash. Alleged attempted murderer and tender don Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala claims he showered former police minister Bheki Cele with R500 000 to try and get police investigators off his back. Senior parliamentary correspondent Jan Gerber and I distil Matlala’s evidence before MPs, sitting in a Pretoria prison, with a giant pinch of salt. Finally, we end off the show with Trump’s attempts to bar SA from the 2026 G20 and a different landmark moment in US-SA diplomatic relations with On This Day in SA History. You can send our host, broadcast journalist Graeme Raubenheimer, a voice note with your questions or thoughts on the show: 072 562 3179. To advertise in the show: ⁠thelead@24.com⁠. Full editions drop Monday through Thursday at 19:00 on ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Apple⁠ and ⁠YouTube⁠. The Lead is currently sponsored by 10X Investments.
Chapters
  • 00:01 Graeme's intro
  • 02:09 Crossing to Jan Gerber on Matlala, Cele and Mkhwanazi
  • 12:00 The disputed Mogotsi connection
  • 21:10 AD: 10X Investments
  • 22:03 Trump V Ramaphosa | On This Day in SA History
27 Nov English South Africa News · Society & Culture

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