Suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya returned to the witness stand for a second day at the Madlanga Commission in Pretoria on Thursday, where he was expected to conclude his statement before facing cross-examination.
Sibiya used his testimony to address claims about his relationship with alleged criminal kingpin Vusimuzi Matlala, also known as “Cat”. While acknowledging that he had met Matlala on several occasions, he insisted the two were not friends and rejected any suggestion of wrongdoing.
He told the commission he had never received or solicited any form of benefit or inducement from Matlala or anyone else, describing the allegations as baseless.
The inquiry is probing claims of corruption, criminal conduct and political interference within the South African Police Service and the broader justice system, following accusations raised by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
The commission was established after Mkhwanazi’s explosive media briefing in Durban last year, where he criticised moves by then-police minister Senzo Mchunu to disband the Political Killings Task Team a specialised unit investigating politically motivated murders and an alleged drug cartel operating in Gauteng.
On Wednesday, Sibiya claimed the order to dismantle the unit came from National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola. He further alleged that senior leadership, including Masemola and Mchunu, may have been influenced by criminal networks following a counter-intelligence raid on the home of a suspected cartel member.
According to Sibiya, the decision to disband the task team followed ongoing internal discussions rather than a sudden directive.
Proceedings at the commission are expected to intensify as cross-examination begins, with testimony likely to shed further light on the deepening tensions within the country’s law enforcement ranks.