The truth behind the headlines: Tebogo Thobejane questions the sudden love for Vusimuzi Matlala

Actress Tebogo Thobejane cannot believe how her former boyfriend, Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, has become a darling on media platforms while he is currently undergoing scrutiny from Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee over his alleged corrupt and devious practices.

The committee members travelled to the Kgoši Mampuru II Correctional Centre in Pretoria, where Matlala is an awaiting trial prisoner, facing charges of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, fraud, and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

Thobejane took to Instagram to express her disillusionment with the sudden admiration Matlala has garnered on media platforms.

“My intuition is loud: something here doesn’t add up. When the whole nation suddenly ‘loves’ someone they once feared, it usually means the narrative is being managed behind the scenes,” she wrote.

She suggested that the attention could be part of a deliberate attempt to soften Matlala’s public image.

“Have you ever noticed how blogs suddenly start hyping someone, and how the tone of the whole country shifts overnight? We, as a nation, get captured so easily. We forget the real crimes, the people who were hurt, and the lives that were lost. We let power rewrite the truth right in front of us.”

Thobejane also highlighted how quickly public narratives can be manipulated.

“Many of us have experienced how quickly a narrative can be twisted to protect the right people. And honestly, we’re shocked that we, as South Africans, don’t see what’s happening. We watch the story being rewritten in real time, and somehow, we accept it.”

She made it clear that no amount of online attention could erase what she endured.

“It’s easy to laugh and move on, but real crimes happened, and real people suffered. PR can clean an image, but it can’t fix what was destroyed. At the end of the day, prayer is the only thing we have because God sees everything.”

Thobejane and Matlala were once a high-profile couple, but their relationship ended amid serious trust and safety concerns.

In October 2023, Thobejane was shot in the foot during a car ambush that left a friend paralysed. Following the incident, she felt unsafe in South Africa and reportedly left the country to protect herself, highlighting the ongoing impact of the trauma she endured.

DAILY NEWS