An Eswatini Home Affairs official, 47-year-old Nonhlanhla Phumla Malambe from Mbasheni, has been arrested for her alleged role in issuing fraudulent government documents to well-known South African figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. Malambe appeared before the Mbabane Magistrates Court on 27 November 2025, a day after her arrest.
Her appearance marks the start of what could be a significant identity-fraud case involving both Eswatini officials and a South African businessman already embroiled in high-profile criminal allegations.
First Court Appearance and Charges
Malambe was arrested on 26 November and had already been suspended from her position before the court proceedings began. Prosecutors accuse her of violating laws governing the issuing of national documents, including fraud.
According to the charge sheet, she is alleged to have unlawfully issued a birth certificate and identity document to Matlala under the name Vusimuzi Dlamini. The use of a different surname has raised concerns of deliberate identity manipulation.
She was granted bail of R5,000, the converted value of the original amount set by the court.
Matlala Denies Holding Eswatini Documents
As Malambe faced charges, Matlala found himself fielding serious questions of his own. While testifying elsewhere, he was asked about the Eswatini documentation allegedly linked to him. He firmly denied possessing any documents issued in Eswatini and initially claimed he had no idea where the surname “Dlamini” came from.
His explanation became more tangled as he later suggested that Dlamini was his mother’s surname — and later still, that it belonged to his grandmother. The shifting versions did little to calm concerns raised by Members of Parliament, who pointed out that in WhatsApp exchanges with businessman Brown Mogotsi, his contact name appeared as “Dlamini”.
Growing Concerns About Identity Fraud
The allegations against Malambe form just one part of a wider narrative involving Cat Matlala, who is already the focus of multiple inquiries and criminal investigations. The emergence of a possible second identity adds another layer of complexity to an already sprawling set of allegations involving corruption, political connections and organised-crime networks.
Identity manipulation — especially when facilitated through official government channels — is a serious breach of public trust. For a country like Eswatini, where documentation systems are tightly controlled, the arrest of a Home Affairs official sends a strong message that the integrity of national records remains a priority.
As Malambe’s case proceeds and authorities continue probing Matlala’s links to the alleged fraudulent documentation, more revelations are expected. The situation underscores how paperwork, surnames and bureaucratic shortcuts can quickly transform from mundane details into the heart of a national scandal.
