WhatsApp messages expose Witness F's role in gifting impalas to suspended SAPS Deputy Commissioner Sibiya

The WhatsApp messages between a witness at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, identified as Witness F, and alleged crime mastermind Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala have revealed that the witness acted as a middleman between Matlala and suspended SAPS Deputy Commissioner General Shadrack Sibiya. 

The chats allegedly showed Matlala gifted Sibiya impalas, raising questions about their relationship and potential influence.

This came to light during Tuesday's proceedings at the commission of inquiry in Pretoria, where Witness F is testifying.

During the testimony, the commission played a voice note sent to Witness F’s phone, with an unknown person asking: "Sorry to bother you so early. Can you send me a pin drop where the bucks - impalas must go, please, sir?"

Witness F confirmed the message was sent to him by Matlala, but he did not know the identity of the speaker on the voice note.

Evidence Leader Advocate Matthew Chaskalson SC pointed out that the voice note was extracted from Witness F’s WhatsApp exchanges with Matlala. 

The message, asking where to deliver the impalas, was forwarded to Sibiya by Witness F.

This followed a flurry of calls between Matlala and Witness F, after which Matlala sent a screenshot of a message from Rudy, a farm manager.

Part of the screenshot showed Matlala instructing the farm manager to check his account again, prompting a response of "Thanks, sir, I got it."

It also revealed that Matlala forwarded a pin with Sibiya's home address to a farm manager who promised that the impalas would be caught and transported to the address in question.

Matlala responded with a simple "no problem".

Chakalson said: "When we heard the evidence of Mr (Brown) Mogotsi, we looked at the chats between Mr Mogotsi and Mr Matlala, and in one of the messages, Mr Matlala was taking Mr Mogotsi to task and accusing him of having leaked to other people that he had paid for impalas for Sibiya. 

"It seems to me that what we are seeing in these chats is that indeed Mr Matlala did arrange for the delivery of impalas to Mr Sibiya, having paid the necessary price into the account of Rudy the farm manager, who delivered those impalas." 

Witness F distanced himself from the impala transactions, telling the commission he knew nothing about the purchase or arrangements.

Witness F’s testimony got off to a bad start with his lawyer, Advocate Hartley Ngoato, telling the commission that his client had approached the High Court with an urgent application to prevent the commission from using WhatsApp messages extracted from his cellphone.

The commission, however, ruled that the proceedings will continue notwithstanding the court application expected to be heard on February 10. 

Ngoato argued that the WhatsApp chats are inadmissible because they do not differentiate between original messages sent by the witness and those that were forwarded from others.

"In perusing the WhatsApp chats, the nature of the WhatsApp chats and the manner in which they were being extrapolated, it only shows outgoing and incoming messages that were not originated by him, but he received them when they were forwarded to him," he said.

He claimed the chats do not distinguish between original messages sent by the witness and those forwarded from others, potentially distorting the narrative. 

Ngoato further argued that an interim report was handed over to President Cyril Ramaphosa on December 15, 2025, with findings and recommendations against the witness, before he could submit his written statement to the commission. 

He said Ramaphosa had already announced the witness should face charges, without access to the interim report.

"It is on the basis of that he is of the view that even though at the commission he is a witness or an accused, but whatever he may be able to say as a witness at the commission, he may incriminate himself, which will be a violation in terms of Section 35.3 of the Constitution,” he said. 

Witness F's testimony is still under way.

rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za