Sibiya's testimony that links him to Brown Mogotsi and 'Cat' Matlala worries MPs

Concerns regarding the relationship between suspended deputy police commissioner Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya and suspected criminals have been voiced by members of Parliament who are a part of the Ad Hoc Committee looking into allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

The MPs discussed Sibiya's testimony, in which he acknowledged having conversations with controversial North West businessman Oupa Brown Mogotsi and suspected murder mastermind and tender kingpin Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala.

In April of this year, Matlala was arrested on unrelated charges after being suspected of being involved in fraudulent transactions involving R2 billion in "looting" at Tembisa Hospital. He was detained after being refused bail for allegedly planning the 2023 attempted murder of actress Tebogo Thobejane, his ex-girlfriend.

Mogotsi has been implicated in the alleged unlawful interference at the South African Police Service (SAPS). Mogotsi has been a central figure during the Madlanga Commission’s early testimony, with multiple witnesses pointing to his proximity to high ranking SAPS officials, being an information peddler and his alleged role in corrupting the integrity of law enforcement.

During his testimony, Sibiya described Mogotsi, who phoned him several times and who he met in person twice, as someone he did not want to block, as he deals in information.

“My job deals with information; I work with crime. I have to get information from all over the country, and any information I get helps me.”

He added that, “It’s not like we are friends, we are not close with each other. I do have his number, but many times, he is the one who calls”.

With regards to Matlala, Sibiya said, “I didn’t have a relationship with him”, and that he just got to know him as a stakeholder and service provider.

“We were not friends, but at the same time, I was getting to know him. He was not someone I was really close to; it was just the beginning of getting to know each other more. My interactions with him are just very, very limited.”

The MPs listening to his testimony have found the links between Sibiya and the controversial figures alarming.

The Freedom Front Plus’ Wouter Wessels said that there are two versions of events, one from Mkhwanazi, and there's a version by Sibiya, but that there “can't be two truths”.

“There must be holes somewhere, and we've picked up certain things that we'll further ask on Tuesday, because it's important when these type of allegations are made, when there's involvement in wrongdoing, it must be exposed, and we must be sure what version is correct and I think we'll take it further tomorrow with our questions as well to expose those discrepancies between the versions.

“Especially the involvement and the interactions with people such as Brown Mogotsi and 'Cat' Matlala, those things do raise alarm bells, and we must take it further. Our police service should be beyond reproach, and especially our top cops, and it does not seem as if it is currently.”

uMkhonto weSizwe Party's Sibonelo Nomvalo echoed Wessels' sentiments and said that they are on a fact-finding mission, and that they will contrast and compare.

“There are many issues - such as the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), the withdrawal and termination of the R360 million tender, and the relationship between Sibiya, Mogotsi, Matlala and so on.

“We will obviously be robust when we put our questions to him…To a greater extent, so far, we are not convinced by his version.”

Nomvalo said that the links between Mogotsi and Brown are concerning, as Sibiya “doesn’t deny knowing them, and doesn’t deny having met them”.

“Then the question is, why is the deputy police commissioner is so accessible to wrong people… by people who have a questionable morality… especially him holding that sensitive position. If there is one thing he must do, it is to protect the integrity of the SAPS.”

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