Lawyers representing Vusimuzi Matlala, a key figure in the ongoing parliamentary inquiry into allegations made by Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, have launched an eleventh-hour bid to postpone their client’s scheduled appearance before the Ad Hoc Committee, citing “impossible” preparation deadlines and the severe impact of his detention in C-Max prison.
In a strongly worded letter addressed to Evidence Leader Advocate Norman Arendse SC and Committee Chairperson Hon Soviet Lekganyane, attorneys Abrams Madira Inc demanded that tomorrow’s (26 November) proceedings be postponed indefinitely to allow adequate legal consultation and preparation.
The firm argued that the sheer volume of documents and affidavits disclosed to the defence, combined with restrictive and dysfunctional consultation conditions at C-Max — the country’s highest-security facility — has made it “virtually impossible” for Matlala to prepare properly.
“Consulting with Mr Matlala has become an absolute nightmare,” the letter states, highlighting poor network coverage, the absence of proper consultation rooms, and an environment described as “not user-friendly” for extended legal discussions.
Of particular concern, the attorneys say, is the visible deterioration in Matlala’s mental health and cognitive capacity after months in solitary-like conditions at C-Max. During a consultation on Sunday, 24 November, lawyers reportedly observed that their client appeared disorientated and struggled to comprehend certain issues — concerns previously raised during his unsuccessful bail application.
“His mental capacity is negatively being affected by his incarceration,” the letter quotes Matlala as instructing his legal team.
Despite these challenges, the attorneys emphasised that Matlala remains willing to cooperate fully with the committee, provided he is granted reasonable time and proper access to his legal representatives and documents — access they say is effectively denied in his current detention setting.
The letter stops short of challenging the merits of the evidence to be led, but reserves Matlala’s rights to raise procedural and fairness issues at a later stage.
In a clear ultimatum, Abrams Madira Inc warned that should no written undertaking to postpone be received by 15:00 today (Tuesday, 25 November 2025), they will immediately launch an urgent court application to interdict tomorrow’s proceedings.
The Ad Hoc Committee was established by the National Assembly to investigate serious allegations levelled by Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the former KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner. Matlala’s testimony is understood to be central to several of the claims under scrutiny.
As of publication, neither the office of the Evidence Leader nor the Committee Chairperson had publicly responded to the postponement request.
