‘He would pay Sibiya’: Explosive testimony links senior police chiefs to R1.2bn SAPS tender bribes | Madlanga Commission

A key witness has implicated two senior police officials in a kickback scheme linked to a R1.2 billion South African Police Service (SAPS) health services contract.

Testifying before the Madlanga Commission on Friday, Witness C alleged that criminal kingpin Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala told him Deputy Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya and KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Major General Lesetja Senona were secretly paid multimillion-rand kickbacks.

According to Witness C, Matlala claimed that after every payment he received from SAPS, “he would pay Sibiya”.

“We didn’t know why he was giving us all this information, but he was detailed and confident about it,” said the witness.

The controversial R360 million portion of the R1.2 billion tender was cancelled in May by National Police Commissioner Gen. Fannie Masemola, who declared that the company “should never have passed the initial bidding stage.”

Witness C, who joined the Provincial Killings Task Team (PKTT) in 2020, said Matlala not only implicated Sibiya and Senona but also revealed the existence of a middleman.

This is a Sergeant F. Nkosi, allegedly stationed at SAPS head office in detective services, under Sibiya’s command.

Matlala showed investigators a screenshot from an SAPS personnel system proving Nkosi’s identity, along with ABSA account details used to make payments.

“He would pay Nkosi via EFT, and Nkosi would collect cash packages in person, meant for Sibiya,” said the witness.

“In most cases, he would give Nkosi money transfers for his personal use and for the general,” Witness C continued.

“He [Sibiya] would summon Nkosi to collect his packages, these were money packages.”

Matlala further claimed close ties with several high-ranking officers, including Head of Counterintelligence Feroz Khan and Head of Organised Crime Richard Shibiri, and described Senona as a relative.

The witness also recounted how Nkosi allegedly tipped Matlala off before a planned police raid on his home — an operation targeting the suspected kidnapping of a mother and her child.

In an additional revelation, Matlala allegedly admitted to drug dealings, money lending, and long-term criminal associations, including with missing businessman Jerry Boshoga, who he said owed him R5 million.

But he denied knowing about Boshoga’s kidnapping.

He further claimed to have been in “constant contact” with then Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.

This is a claim Mchunu has flatly denied before Parliament, saying he had “never met or spoken to” Matlala.

Sibiya has denied any involvement with Matlala or the tender.

The commission has resumed following a lunch break.

kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za

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