Madlanga Commission hears claims of dirty money, drug ties and police protection in R1.2bn SAPS deal
Corruption at SAPS Command: Insights from the Madlanga Commission.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
A protected witness has blown open what could be one of SAPS’s biggest corruption scandals — accusing senior officers of pocketing millions in kickbacks from a health-services contract.
The most damning evidence came from Witness C, who testified that businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala bragged about securing a multi-billion-rand SAPS health-services tender through his connections Sibiya and Senona.
Over the past week, three protected witnesses, Witness A, B and C detailed how suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, KZN Hawks head, Maj-Gen. Lesetja Senona, and Officer Richard Shibiri were actively involved in tampering with investigations, protecting criminal networks, and benefiting from lucrative police tenders.
The testimony before the Madlanga Commission revealed how top cops, judges and metro police officers played a role in running down the country. This is from political interference to criminal collusion.
The witnesses are members of the investigating team that cracked the murder case of engineer Armand Swart. Witness C was part of PKTT before being deployed to Gauteng CounterintelligenceOperations (GCIOPS).
Swart was fatally shot in Vereeniging on the morning of April 17, 2024, in what has now been confirmed as a mistaken identity hit.
Witness A told the commission that the Hawks and metro police helicopter were hovering during a police raid at the home of underworld kingpin businessman Katiso “KT” Molefe, disrupting the arrest operation.
He said Sibiya later questioned why Molefe had been detained without “proper clearance,” suggesting top-level interference.
Witness A said he was later invited to Sibiya’s farm by Shibiri, who allegedly urged him to “cool off” on the Molefe case.
Witness B’s testimony reinforced claims of manipulation within elite police structures.
He alleged that dockets from the KZN Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) were unlawfully removed and redirected to Pretoria under Sibiya’s instruction.
This is an act that National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola confirmed Sibiya had “no legal authority” to carry out.
The move, according to Witness B, crippled progress in several high-profile political assassination cases.
The most damning evidence came from Witness C, who testified that businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala bragged about securing a multi-billion-rand SAPS health-services tender through his connections Sibiya and Senona.
Matlala allegedly claimed that after every payment from SAPS, portions were kicked back to Sibiya and Senona through intermediaries.
Witness C further submitted screenshots of WhatsApp messages suggesting direct communication between Matlala, Senona, and other associates over contract payments and property deals.
Sibiya has denied wrongdoing.
Through his legal representatives, he argued that the testimony against him was unreliable and motivated by “personal vendettas” and “internal SAPS power struggles.” Especially coming from the KZN Police Commissioner, Lt-Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
However, the consistency across the witnesses’ accounts has deepened public concern about systemic corruption within SAPS.
Citizens on social media have urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to suspend all implicated officers pending the commission’s final report.
The testimonies revealed “a pattern of collusion and obstruction of justice at senior levels and vowed that no one will be shielded by rank.
The Madlanga Commission is scheduled to continue next week, with expected appearances from additional Hawks and SAPS members who allegedly played roles in the manipulation of key investigations.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
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