Skip to content

Runway Meets the Bench: Inside South Africa’s Daring and Power Wave of Lavish Courtroom Style

            Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala in a Fendi shirt.

It’s often remarked that clothing can whisper—or scream—one’s intentions, and in South Africa’s courtrooms of late, attire has become downright thunderous.
Cast aside the tired stereotype of dull blazers and uninspired neckties; a rising wave of high-stakes defendants now treat their court dates as high-fashion spectacles, converting the witness box into a runway for elite designer labels.

This dramatic shift has ignited fierce public debate. Is this flamboyance a bold gesture of resistance, or merely an inability to abandon an extravagant lifestyle many suspect was bankrolled by illicit gains?
Whatever the motive, these audacious style choices have dominated headlines across the nation.

From Burberry to Fendi
The latest figure to spark discussion is businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, who stands accused of a string of serious offences—attempted murder, money laundering, and ties to sprawling corruption networks and rigged state tenders.

Matlala has turned his legal confrontations into fashion showcases.

During his appearances at the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court and throughout various bail hearings, he regularly emerged in impeccable designer ensembles, including a striking Dolce & Gabbana jacket that drew widespread attention.

      Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala in a Dolce & Gabbana suit.

It was an unmistakable message: even under the weight of criminal charges, his taste for opulence remains untouched.
The understated but unmistakable luxury continued during his recent testimony before a parliamentary ad hoc committee probing corruption.

Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala wore Burberry when testifying in the Ad Hoc Committee at the Kgoši Mampuru Correctional Centre.

Headlines like “The Cat Wears Fendi” captured the spectacle. His all-black Fendi set and muted Burberry combination went viral online.

And if the luxe clothing wasn’t enough, Matlala was also seen sporting a Rolex Submariner Date—an accessory that speaks for itself.


Casually Louis Vuitton

The saga surrounding convicted murderer and rapist Thabo Bester—who staged his own death to escape incarceration—gr gripped the country.
Public astonishment only deepened when he re-emerged after his re-arrest.
During a virtual court appearance in June 2023, his designer outfit instantly eclipsed the gravity of the allegations before him, including fraud and escaping lawful detention.

Thabo Bester wearing a distinctive black-patterned white Louis Vuitton sweater.


Boldly Gucci

Julius Malema, though not implicated in corruption in these particular scenarios, is no stranger to luxury fashion.
Famously declaring, “What I wear does not influence my political consciousness or commitment to the revolution,”Malema has often opted for statement pieces from Gucci and Louis Vuitton.
In cases such as his appearances related to firearm discharge charges from a 2018 rally, his fashion choices have been anything but subtle—loud, unapologetic, and deliberately attention-grabbing.

As South Africans grapple with questions of justice, integrity and accountability, this trend of flaunting extravagant designer wardrobes in court forces an uncomfortable reckoning.
Why, under the glare of national scrutiny, would anyone so brazenly parade their wealth before the very public whose trust they seek to regain?

 

Source: Araba Sey