An internal audit report flagged red flags and potential fronting regarding the bid of Medicare 24 Tshwane and noted companies registered to Mr Matlala, Mr Van Wyk, and 12 companies registered to Mr James George Murray.
“At 3838, it then makes certain observations regarding red flags and/or evidence of fronting in the bid of Medicare 24 Tshwane. Sets out the basis for concluding there were red flags. Then addresses at 3839 the various companies registered to Mr Matlala. At 3840, registered to Mr Van Wyk, as well as other 12 companies registered to Mr James George Murray.”
UNATTRIBUTEDDay 150 · 29 Jul 2026Refers to: 2025-04-29Evidence: Preliminary internal audit report, p. 3823 / 3838 / 3839-3840
Mr. Van Wyk's appearance is postponed indefinitely, and he may file a supplementary affidavit on any material addressed by the Evidence Leaders by 6 July 2026.
“The appearance of Mr Van Wyk is postponed sine die ... If Mr Van Wyk wishes to file a supplementary affidavit to clarify any of the material on which the Evidence Leaders have addressed the Commission, he will do so soon or before 6 July 2026.”
Mr Van Wyk is preparing a detailed statement about the SAPS Medicare Tshwane District contract, but it will not be discussed at this stage of the hearing.
“We understand that Mr Van Wyk is preparing a detailed statement relating to that contract and it will be made available to us and we hope to get it by the end of this week, but I will not be touching on it at all today.”
Mr Van Wyk owns Medicare 24 Holdings, distinct from Medicare 24 Tshwane district owned by Mr Matlala; Mr Van Wyk is also a director and key player at the security company Anubis Protection Services.
“The first company is Medicare 24 Holdings. That is Mr Van Wyk's company... Then there is a company called Anubis Protection Services. That is a security company of which Mr Van Wyk is a director and we understand him to be the key player of that company.”
WhatsApp chats included in evidence bundles involve communications between Mr Matlala and Mr Van Wyk, and separately between Mr Van Wyk and Mr Julius Mkhwanazi of the EMPD.
“The first is the chats extracted from Mr Matlala's phone, the chats between Mr Matlala and Mr Van Wyk... The second set of chats which run from page 59 in Volume 2 of the Evidence Bundle. Those are the chats between Mr Van Wyk and Mr Julius Mkhwanazi of the EMPD.”
Mr Van Wyk states he has never been introduced to high-ranking police officials despite Mr Matlala claiming to have such contacts.
“Mr Vu si Matlala made it clear on numerous occasions that he had contact with high-ranking officials, but he never mentioned their names, and I was never involved in any meetings except operational meetings or discussions with any of them apart from Brian...”
WhatsApp communication discussed doesn't relate to the SAPS contract; prior business relations with George van der Merwe ended unconstructively.
“The WhatsApp communication does not relate to the SAPS contract in as far as I know. I have had previous business relations with George van der Merwe, which related to close protection services, which was not a constructive business relationship and which I terminated.”
Mr Van Wyk introduces Mr Julius Mkhwanazi to George van der Merwe as a connection for transport issues and contacts within JM P D due to his rank.
“Mr Van Wyk appears to be introducing Mr Julius Mkhwanazi to George ... He is the Head of the EMPD on this side ... he also has all the contacts for Tshwane in JMPD due to his rank”
Mr Van Wyk shared a video of a man wounded in a gun assault, related to a man named Maxwell Mlangeni who owns Today's Destiny Logistics and survived the attack.
“a video of a man wounded inside a car riddled with bullet holes ... name is Maxwell Mlangeni ... owner of Today's Destiny Logistics ... survived that gun assault”
Mr Van Wyk acknowledged involvement in the private security industry and circulation of a photograph of a man shot in connection with a WhatsApp group related to this industry.
“I am also involved in the private security industry and ... is part of many WhatsApp groups relating to this industry ... this photograph was circulated on one of them”
Mr Van Wyk claims not to remember which WhatsApp group circulated the photo, explaining that as private security industry participant he is part of many such groups.
“I do not remember which one. It is for that reason I sent it on to Mr Matlala”
Mr Van Wyk said the money bag photo is of cash he won at a casino and offered to make records available to prove winning approximately R200,000.
“The money bag contained in this photograph is cash monies that I won at a casino ... I can make my records available that I have indeed won approximately R 200,000 shortly before”
Mr Van Wyk claims he never sent Mr Matlala photos of any monies he won at a casino, which suggests tampering of WhatsApp messages although the photo is accurate.
“I never sent Mr Matlala photos of any monies that I won at a casino ... he is suggesting that this section of the WhatsApps is tampered even though it accurately reflects a photograph of money that he won at a casino”
Mr Van Wyk forwarded a message to Mr Matlala from a third party about readiness for the next day and noted important morning engagements, referring to bricks of cocaine being weighed out on video.
“Mr Van Wyk forwards to Mr Matlala ... 'Mike, are we ready to take tomorrow afternoon ... has got important engagement in the morning ...' Note refers to bricks of cocaine being weighed on video”
Mr Matlala forwarded a voice note from Mr Van Wyk stating 'we will go in at 02:50' to the third party; the voice note was originally sent by Mr Van Wyk to Mr Matlala.
“he has forwarded to the third party the voice note that Mr Van Wyk sent to him a few minutes earlier saying , we will go in at 02 : 50 .”
Mr Van Wyk claimed he never received the WhatsApp video on his cellphone despite evidence showing the video was sent to Mr Matlala by the third party and admitted by the third party to have sent it.
“... he says : “ Once again , I received the video recording from the enquiries I made to the Commission and confirmed that I never received this WhatsApp video on my cell phone . ” We do not accept that answer ... We interviewed the third party ... and the third party admits that he sent the video to Mr Matlala .”
It is technically and factually impossible for a third party to have planted the authentic video and voice note in the WhatsApp chats between Mr Van Wyk and Mr Matlala because the chats were extracted from an image of Mr Matlala's iPhone 16, and planting a message or media file would leave a trace of amendment.
“we are informed that it is not possible to plant a message or a media file into a WhatsApp chat record on an Apple iPhone 16 without leaving a trace that the file of the whole WhatsApp was amended at a later date”
The video sent by the third party was deleted for everyone from the chat at 07:49:59 and no trace of the video remains in chats between Mr Matlala and the third party or elsewhere on the phone, except in chats between Mr Van Wyk and Mr Matlala.
“The video that was sent by the third party was deleted for everyone ... what is significant is that there was no trace of the video on the chats between Mr Matlala and the third party. And indeed there is no trace of the video anywhere on the phone other than in the chats between Mr Matlala and Mr Van Wyk.”
The third party did not realize that Mr Matlala had forwarded the video to Mr Van Wyk and so the third party could not delete a video that Mr Matlala had forwarded further.
“The third party of course did not realise that Mr Matlala had forwarded the video onto Mr Van Wyk and he could not delete a video that Mr Matlala had forwarded further.”
There is no evidence that a third party tampered with the video to frame Mr Van Wyk or Mr Matlala because the video only appears in the chats between Mr Van Wyk and Mr Matlala and nowhere else on the phone.
“if one has to postulate a notional tamperer who wants to frame Mr Van Wyk and/or Mr Matlala, they would have had no access to a video to plant because the only place on the phone where the video appears is in the chats between Mr Van Wyk and Mr Matlala.”
The video is authentic, confirmed by the person who originally sent it to Mr Matlala but who subsequently deleted it, supporting the impossibility of third party tampering.
“The authenticity of the video is confirmed by the person who originally sent it to Mr Matlala, but who subsequently deleted it. So we know the video is real ... it would have been impossible for a third-party tamperer to plant that real video in the chats of Mr Van Wyk and Mr Matlala because that third party would not have had access to the video anywhere else on the phone. There is no sign of the video anywhere else on the phone.”
Mr Julius Mkhwana sent to Mr Van Wyk a letter from Ekurhuleni reflecting a proposed meeting on 12 October to discuss setting up a specialised unit involving crime combating, drug busts, riots, and medical emergency response, expected to have approval from Chief Mapiyeye.
“At 11.26 p.m. on the 8th of October 021 , Mr Julius Mkhwana sends to Mr Van Wyk a letter from Ekurhuleni reflecting a meeting to be held on the 12th of October ... The meeting ... is said to be a proposed meeting with Medicross ... Mr Van Wyk responds ... with a voice note ... The chief is going to be a reference to Chief Mapiyeye, whose approval is going to be necessary for what Mr Van Wyk and Mr Mkhwana are planning.”
Mr Van Wyk discussed setting up a specialised unit intended to respond to medical emergencies, riots, crime combating, and drug busts, expressing hope to win approval from Medicare 24.
“Mr Van Wyk is talking about setting up a specialised unit that will not just be medical response, it will also be crime, security, drug busts ... We do not only just respond to medical emergencies, we can respond to riots, anything. We are on the scene if something happens, we can help with crime combating, drug busts ... So, ja, I just hope we win with him.”
Mr Van Wyk intended a specialised unit that would be dealing not only with medical emergencies but also with crime response and drug busts.
“our aim is to be a specialised unit for you guys, to work with you guys... a specialised unit that was going to be dealing, in addition to medical, with crime response, drug busts”
The MOU is between EMPD and Medicare 24/Anubis Protection Services, a security company associated with Mr Van Wyk.
“this MOU is drafted as an MOU between EMPD and Medicare 24, not Medicare 24 Tshwane ... Medicare 24/Anubis Protection Services ... was the security company associated with Mr Van Wyk”
This process attempts to position a private company to access blue lights and EMPD vehicles and to set up a specialised unit involving Mr Matlala's and Mr Van Wyk's entities that goes beyond healthcare.
“It is this process by which a private company is trying to put itself in a position to get blue lights and have access to vehicles which are part of the EMPD fleet ... an attempt to set up some sort of specialised unit into which Mr Matlala's entities and Mr van Wyk's entities will be able to participate which will go beyond healthcare”
Mr Mkhwanazi is preparing cards for members of the planned specialised unit with contact points for queries being himself as Director Mkhwanazi.
“Mr van Wyk sends ... a mock-up of a card that represents something of a joint venture between Anubis Protection and EMPD... Mr Mkhwanazi is preparing cards... the contact point ... is Director Mkhwanazi”
Mr van Wyk explains that some authority cards are used by metros but require a letter from EMPD authorising usage, indicating these private people work in association with EMPD.
“this is cards that I see some of the metros are using for people that has a little bit of authority, but we need a letter still to authorise us to use it. It does not make us traffic officers, it just says that we work in conjunction with EMPD”
Mr van Wyk seeks permission to put blue and red lights and EMPD branding on a new bakkie that he has bought, concerned about being arrested for impersonating a police officer.
“Would I be able to put blue and red lights in? It will only be ready on Friday. But I do not want to drive with something and then I get arrested for impersonating a police officer. ... Can we put EMPD at the back of the bakkie?”
Mr van Wyk's business partner is anxious about driving a vehicle with blue lights due to fear of arrest, indicating concerns about legal authority.
“Mr van Wyk is again coming back in relation to authority for the blue lights because his business partner ... is anxious about driving around in a vehicle that might get him arrested.”
Mr van Wyk clarified that the business partner mentioned in voice notes was not Mr Matlala, but another person who later passed away.
“... he was talking about a business partner in Medicare 24 Holdings and possibly in Anubis, a man who later passed away shortly ... it is not Mr Matlala.”
Mr van Wyk and Commissioner Mkhwanazi discussed establishing a reserve force for EMPD involving private individuals engaged in a similar capacity to police reservists in SAPS.
“Mr van Wyk and Commissioner Mkhwanazi are floating the idea of establishing a reserve force for the EMPD, which would then involve private individuals who are not EMPD employees being engaged by the EMPD in some sort of capacity, just like police reservists engage with the SAPS.”
Proposals linked to the establishment of the EMPD reserve force were documented in presentations and YouTube clips, but some of these links have been taken down recently.
“... there were a couple of presentations that were put together by Mr van Wyk and that appear in YouTube clips that are linked in the chats. Up until about four or five days ago, the links still worked, but they have been taken down now.”
The idea of establishing the EMPD reserve force grew out of the special force idea and was first indicated on 2 December 2021 in messages between Commissioner Mkhwanazi and Mr van Wyk.
“The first sign that we have of that as an idea growing out of the special force idea appears at that message on the 2nd of December 2021 at the foot of page 597 ... where Commissioner Mkhwanazi says: "Good morning Mike, we are starting with a project of reserve formation." And Mr van Wyk responds: "Please contact me so I know where we stand and hopefully I will be in charge of the reserves, LOL."”
Mr van Wyk sent a mock-up of the specialised services joint venture between Anubis and EMPD to Commissioner Mkhwanazi, who responded requesting preparation for appointment card finalisation due to increased cars.
“Mr van Wyk sends that mock-up of the specialised services JV between Anubis and EMPD through to Commissioner Mkhwanazi ... Commissioner Mkhwanazi sends him a message saying: "Good morning Mike. Kindly prepare, Cwabe will be coming to finalise the issue of appointment cards today... we will be meeting with our fleet guy this morning so we get directions since the cars have increased and finalised."”
There is an apparent bribe paid by Mr van Wyk to Commissioner Mkhwanazi related to appointment cards and authorization of blue lights, implied by coded messages referencing an amount approved for 'APPT'.
“Now we get to something which in our view looks like a bribe that is paid by Mr van Wyk to Commissioner Mkhwanazi in respect of these appointment cards and the authorisation of blue lights ... Mr van Wyk sends two messages on the 6th of December to Commissioner Mkhwanazi. The first says: 'The amount we spoke about is APPT.' And then he says 'approved'.”
Mr van Wyk pressured Commissioner Mkhwanazi urgently to authorize blue lights to avoid his boss being arrested, implying use of money and urgent delivery connected to appointment cards and authorization.
“Mr van Wyk saying, I need to know where we stand, you need to do Christmas shopping ... I need to make sure my boss is not in jail for blue lights ... I need blue lights to be authorised.”
Mr van Wyk sent a SAPS clearance certificate certifying that Mr Matlala has no criminal convictions, but this document could not lawfully have been issued since Mr Matlala had a prior housebreaking conviction that could not be expunged.
“Mr van Wyk sends through a SAPS clearance certificate certifying that Mr Matlala has no criminal convictions . Now this document , it seems to us , could not lawfully have been issued , because he did have a criminal conviction for house breaking in 2001 , and that was not a conviction that was capable of being expunged .”
There is a joint venture arrangement between Medicare 24, Anubis, and EMPD under the command of Acting Deputy Municipal Police Commissioner Brigadier JD Mkhwana to assist EMPD officers with security and medical emergency services including during the COVID-19 pandemic in and outside the City of Ekurhuleni.
“Commissioner Mkhwana sends Mr van Wyk a letter confirming the existence of some sort of joint venture arrangement between Medicare 24 and Anubis with EMPD ... The letter says : " This letter serves to confirm that the EMPD , under the command of Acting Deputy Municipal Police Commissioner Brigadier JD Mkhwana of Specialised Services , has an endless working relationship with Medicare 24 ( Pty ) Ltd and Anubis to assist EMPD officers in any security and medical emergency services including the COVID-19 pandemic in and out of the City of Ekurhuleni ."”
Mr van Wyk requested that the letter reflect the proper name Anubis Protection Services and include VIP protection and security services, not just medical services, as part of the partnership with EMPD.
“Mr van Wyk wants the proper name of Anubis to be there , and then he says : " VIP Protection and Security ." ... He wants the letter to say that we do not just provide medical services , the partnership extends to VIP protection and security services too .”
Mr Van Wyk was involved in securing appointment cards and confirming appointments for police powers, interacting with Commissioner Mkhwanazi.
“Mr Van Wyk is asking for confirmation of the meeting for the appointment cards ... Mr Van Wyk was now going to ask for confirmation that they have been loaded onto the law enforcement system ... the response from Commissioner Mkhwanazi ... "you are loaded on a system" ... "we are finalizing today with the National Chief"”
There was discussion with the National Commissioner (likely the National Chief) concerning finalizing details related to Mr Van Wyk's status with the appointment cards and law enforcement status.
“the message is you are loaded on a system and we are finalizing the details today with the National Chief ... I would think it would be the National Commissioner”
Mr Van Wyk and Mr Matlala acquired some kind of law enforcement status allowing blue lights to be fitted to some of their vehicles through a process involving Commissioner Mkhwanazi, which took several months.
“Mr Matlala and Mr Van Wyk have acquired a status which has enabled them to have blue lights fitted to some of their vehicles ... a process stretching over several months ... they were able to acquire some form of appointment that would reflect their status as having certain law enforcement ... some kind of law enforcement status ... and with that blue lights for their vehicles”
By March 2025, both Mr Matlala and Mr Van Wyk appeared to be in financial difficulties related to SAPS contract payments, impacting their process for law enforcement appointment statuses.
“by March 2025 ... both Mr Matlala and Mr Van Wyk appear to be in financial difficulties and that in part has to do with problems ... securing payment on the SAPS contract”
In the early 2000s, negotiations regarding vehicle fleet arrangements for Medicare 24 Tshwane District involved multiple parties including Mr Van Wyk, Mr Motsumi and Mr Matlala, with some confusion about which legal entity (Holdings or Tshwane (Pty) Ltd) was involved.
“Negotiations at the beginning were taking place in 2001, 2002 ... not clear whether it was for Holdings or for Tshwane 24, Tshwane (Pty) Ltd ... earlier negotiations were definitely in two parts ... certain letters were going to be signed for Mr Van Wyk and his entities ... Anubis for instance has nothing to do with Mr Matlala to the best of our knowledge ... What has happened by the time we get to 2025, we are not sure”
Commissioner Mkhwanazi informs Mr Van Wyk that some security companies are charging 10% of the recovered stock from hijacking incidents as a payout.
“Commissioner Mkhwanazi is alerting Mr Van Wyk to the fact that some security companies are able to receive payouts of 10% on the stock that they recover from hijackings”
The contemplated plan involves collaboration between Mr Mkhwanazi and Mr Van Wyk to get tip-offs from EMPD about hijacked trucks so that Mr Van Wyk's entities can recover stolen cargo and receive a 10% reward shared between them.
“...what is being contemplated here is an arrangement in terms of which Mr Mkhwanazi and Mr Van Wyk will collaborate so that Mr Van Wyk gets tip-offs from EMPD about where hijacked trucks may be and then there will be a 10% reward for recovered stock, which presumably is going to be shared.”
Mr Van Wyk asks for a letter on EMPD letterhead to facilitate weapon licensing tied to his involvement in special operations with EMPD, to expedite firearm licenses for weapons already purchased.
“I need urgently a letter from you, please, on an EMPD letterhead. I bought more firearms for the company. Just state that we are involved with you guys, busy with JV, and that we assist you with special operations, so I can just get the other firearm licenses quickly with your motivation.”
There was an attempt by Mr Van Wyk and Commissioner Mkhwanazi to get the MEC for Safety and Security or Municipal Policing onboard with the idea of a specialised unit to work alongside EMPD, which never materialized.
“there was an attempt by Mr Van Wyk and Mr Mkhwanazi to get the MEC for Safety and Security or Municipal Policing ... on board with this idea of a specialised unit ... but that never materialised”