By Mapaballo Borotho
- An Eswatini Home Affairs official is facing four disciplinary charges for allegedly issuing fraudulent documents to alleged crime kingpin Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
- Authorities claim the official unlawfully issued a birth certificate and identity document without the required supporting documents.
- The matter is running alongside a criminal investigation launched by Eswatini authorities.
An Eswatini Home Affairs official has been slapped with four disciplinary charges for allegedly issuing fraudulent documents to alleged crime kingpin Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
Nonhlanhla Malambane, an Assistant Regional Civil Registrar in the Ministry of Home Affairs, appeared before the Civil Service Commission (CSC) last week alongside her attorney after formally receiving a charge sheet.
According to media reports, the disciplinary hearing has been scheduled for three days in June before a commission chaired by CSC Chairperson and lawyer Simanga Mamba.
Malambane is accused of dishonesty in contravention of Section 49(g) of the Public Service Act of 2018.
It is alleged that in February 2024, she unlawfully registered and issued an Eswatini birth certificate to a foreign national identified as Vusimuzi Dlamini without the required supporting documents.
The ministry further alleges that Malambane falsely captured Thembi Christinah Zulu as the mother of Vusimuzi Dlamini, despite this allegedly not being the case.
In a second charge, Malambane is accused of unlawfully issuing an Eswatini national identity card to the same individual without the necessary source documentation.
She has since been released on bail and is expected to face disciplinary proceedings running parallel to her criminal case.
The issue of Matlala allegedly possessing Eswatini birth certificates and an identity document first came to light last year during his testimony before the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee.
South African authorities have repeatedly raised concerns that the documents could assist him in evading justice.
The Eswatini Ministry of Home Affairs subsequently launched an internal investigation, while police also opened a criminal probe into the matter.
Now, back to South Africa, the criminal case against suspended National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, Vusimuzi Cat Matlala, and several others for tender fraud has been postponed to the 26th of June 2026.
The suspects, including 15 people and two entities, appeared at the Pretoria Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 13 May 2026, where Masemola’s charge sheet was formally joined to that of his co-accused.
The State has requested additional time to investigate specific bank statements before disclosing its evidence to the suspects.
The group – mostly comprising police officers – is accused of various charges linked to the irregular Medicare 24 Tshwane contract, which was awarded In June 2024 and cancelled a year later.
The Court has further ruled that accused number 1 in the matter, Matlala, may be held at the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Facility pending the next court hearing, as opposed to the maximum-security facility in Kokstad, where he’s currently being held.
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