South Africa Goes Viral Over Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala’s R300k Woolies Bag

by Zaghrah Anthony

South Africa Reacts in Hilarious Fashion to Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala’s R300k Woolies Bag Saga

When politics meets shopping bags, the nation can’t stop laughing

South Africans have seen their fair share of political scandals, but Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala’s Woolworths bag moment has ignited a wave of online humour that no one saw coming. What started as a serious Ad Hoc Committee investigation into alleged corruption has now turned into a national conversation and a meme goldmine.

The R300k Shopping Bag That Shocked Parliament

During his testimony, Matlala stunned the committee when he revealed he and his sister, Claudette Masethe, withdrew R300,000 in cash from an FNB branch in Menlyn, no transfers, no security drama, just cold, hard cash.

Then came the moment that had South Africans collectively raising their eyebrows: the money didn’t go into a briefcase or a safe. It went into a Woolworths shopping bag. Yes, the same black-and-white bag many of us use for groceries, pastries, or the occasional bottle of wine.

“I always operate with a Woolies bag, that’s the money bag,” Matlala told the committee. The bag, he claimed, safely carried the cash back to his apartment, where it was handed to Bheki Cele, allegedly accompanied by Bongani ‘Mabonga’ Mpungose.

Another R200,000, he claimed, was later handed over in a Umhlanga parking lot, this time involving a red Jeep linked to Cele.

While the allegations are serious, touching on corruption and political intrigue, it was Matlala’s choice of cash carrier that captured the public imagination.

Mzansi’s Social Media Goes Wild

As expected, South Africans could not resist injecting humour into the unfolding scandal.

  • @SimelaneQusheka tweeted: “I will never look at the people carrying this Woolies bag the same way. It not only carries groceries but thousands & millions of rands!”

  • @Lord_Marven1 joked: “If it’s not Burberry then it’s Fendi, that’s when you know that brother really packed that 300k in that Woolies bag.”

  • @by_greatest added: “This bag is about to cost us an arm and a leg at Woolies. It not only carries groceries but thousands of rands.”

On Instagram, users took the humour even further. @leratosekoai_9 posted a video of a man casually strolling through a mall with an oversized Woolies bag, captioning it: “Spotted” and the clip quickly went viral.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Lerato E. Sekoai (@leratosekoai_9)

From Political Drama to Cultural Phenomenon

Matlala’s Woolies bag has transcended its humble grocery origins. It’s now part of the conversation around fashion, corruption, and politics in South Africa. Memes and jokes aside, the story underscores how the public processes national scandals: with equal parts outrage and satire.

It’s a uniquely South African response, even in the face of serious allegations, the nation finds a way to laugh, share, and create a cultural reference point. For the foreseeable future, the Woolies bag won’t just carry groceries; it will carry the weight of political gossip and internet humour.

Source: IOL

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