Witness C alleged that suspended Deputy Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya and KZN Hawks head Maj-Gen. Lesetja Senona were involved in a multimillion-rand kickback scheme.
Image: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers
Witness C, a Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) member, told the Madlanga Commission that Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala funded the presidential campaign of suspended Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu, by paying flight tickets and accommodation for the ANC January 8 event.
Witness C is continuing their testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in Pretoria linking top police generals to a R1.2 billion SAPS tender kickback scheme.
The witness is testifying remotely and off-camera for security reasons.
He made damning claims implicating two senior police officers, suspended Deputy Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya and KZN Hawks head Maj-Gen. Lesetja Senona in a multimillion-rand kickback scheme linked to a R1.2 billion SAPS health services contract.
Testifying last Friday, Witness C alleged that Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, a businessman accused of heading a criminal cartel, told him the Sibiya and Senona received cash kickbacks each time Matlala’s companies were paid by SAPS.
“He would say that after every payment he received from SAPS, he paid Sibiya,” Witness C testified.
“We didn’t know why he was sharing all this, but he was confident and detailed about it.”
The commission previously heard that R360 million of the tender was cancelled in May by National Police Commissioner Gen. Fannie Masemola, who declared the winning company “should never have passed the initial bidding stage.”
Witness C, who joined the PKTT in 2020, further testified that Matlala named a Sergeant F. Nkosi, allegedly stationed at SAPS head office under Sibiya’s command, as a go-between in the kickback network.
In a separate revelation, Matlala allegedly admitted to drug trafficking, money lending, and long-term criminal associations, including with missing businessman Jerry Boshoga, who he claimed owed him R5 million.
But Matlala denied any role in Boshoga’s disappearance.
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