Suspended police boss Sibiya braces to face MPs

SUSPENDED deputy police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, is expected to be grilled over his alleged involvement in the disbanding of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) when he appears before the ad hoc committee probing allegations of corruption and political interference in the police service on Monday.

Sibiya, according to KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi,  had ordered the removal of police dockets from KwaZulu-Natal to the police head offices, without the knowledge of his boss, National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola.

Mkhwanazi said Sibiya had also instructed a deputy minister to manage and remove Masemola. He said Sibiya had sent a WhatsApp message to the deputy minister informing him or her of spyware procured by the Crime Intelligence unit to the tune of R13 million, without following supply chain management processes.

In his (WhatsApp) message, he stated that only Police Minister Senzo Mchunu was authorised to sign for any contract worth more than R10m. According to Mkhwanazi, Sibiya had mentioned briefing a 'Comrade Mathebula' about the matter.

“He goes further to say my suggestion is that we should commit the National Commissioner (Masemola) to this. He needs to come out, whether he knows or not, and (Masemola) must be investigated over why the minister was not informed,” Mkhwanazi said, adding that Sibiya had instructed that the investigation be done over seven days.

Mkhwanazi, responding to questions from IFP MP Albert Mncwango, said Sibiya had elevated himself to an executive authority.

“I strongly believe the compiler of the letter to disestablish this (PKTT) team is not done by the Minister (Mchunu), probably the same person we talk about is the one behind the letter."

Masemola also told MPs about tensions between Sibiya and Mkhwanazi.

Sibiya, alongside his lawyer Ian Levitt, spoke outside his home after Thursday's raid, saying his colleagues betrayed him, including Masemola.

Levitt said that they will “fully investigate and interrogate what has happened”. He said that he will also raise in court that they weren’t given the affidavit, used to justify the raid.

“Effectively, what they did was they gave us the search and seizure warrant… It was about 4 or 5 or 6 pages there, but it's essentially with regard to investigations into alleged defeats of justice, and things that have been in the media, there's nothing new…”

Sibiya then added, “Money laundering, corruption, all those charges, everything they could find”.

He also addressed his appearance in front of the committee on Monday.

“I was hoping that this would go that way, where I’ll be given a chance as well to participate, but along the way, I can also see the anger in General Mkhwanazi, the vengeance… Even when he speaks, I would think that he has passed me, but every five seconds, he would go back to me again.

“He would talk about others, then he would go back to me again. It’s okay, let me go through the process. Let us meet on the other side of the fence.”

theolin.tembo@inl.co.za