‘I must be perceived as a good worker rather than belonging to Sibiya,’ says Shibiri

Suspended organised crime head Major-General Richard Shibiri has dismissed claims that he belongs to the clique of suspended deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya.

Shibiri appeared before the Madlanga commission on Monday.

Previous witnesses have painted him as Sibiya’s man, Sergeant Fannie Nkosi previously telling the commission that Shibiri was one of the generals who attended a ceremony at Sibiya’s house on 14 September 2024.

The commission questioned Shibiri on the links of articles he sent to Nkosi, which were mostly about blogger Musa Khawula’s arrest, General Firoz Khan’s disciplinary proceedings, General Dumisani Khumalo, General Fannie Masemola and Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala’s Saps contract.

“They all have a particular theme,” said evidence leader advocate Thabang Pooe.

However, Shibiri denied having discussed matters that concerned only Sibiya.

“I don’t see anything to perceive me with General Sibiya because where he invited me to go, it was work-related. Most of the time, the minister will be there, the national commissioner will be there, and the deputy will be there,” explained Shibiri.

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“When we come back, I will implement what is supposed to be implemented. So I must be perceived as a good worker, other than belonging to somebody.

“We [Shibiri and Nkosi] would talk about the news out there about the police. There’s nothing we can do about them but share or just comment that they don’t paint a good name for the Saps. I resent the implication that I phoned Musa Khawula and spoke to him. I don’t know him or have his phone number, and I have never spoken to him,” said Shibiri.

Shibiri and Matlala

Shibiri further denied any interest in Matlala’s R360 million contract with the Saps, saying that whatever advice he provided to him was from a police officer to a citizen. In his original statement, he gave the impression that there was minimal communication between them.

However, the commissioners argued that the several calls between them and an R80 000 ‘loan’ he received from Matlala crossed the boundary of police officer and citizen.

“Are you prepared to accept that a week before Mr Matlala’s arrest in May 2025, you were calling him, and he was calling you, and the last call of 9 May 2025 is from you to him, a week before his arrest?” asked Commissioner Sesi Baloyi.

“I don’t understand how, I mean, Mr Matlala is quite a prominent person, he has become quite a prominent person in the public space, he’s lent you money. I don’t understand how you would not recollect that you’ve actually had frequent communications with him, because the impression, at least that I had gained from your statement originally, was very minimal interaction with him. How do you explain that?”

Shibiri insisted his conversations with Matlala were innocent.

“Yes, I testified previously that around January, I got some information that my name was used by him somewhere, and then I phoned him to say we must only talk about which is work related, and I don’t remember myself phoning him unless it was something which I wanted to ask in relation to work, and I can’t remember why I made these calls,” explained Shibiri.

“Yes, we were in contact, but not frequently. And everybody who is a victim must be helped by the South African police. So, irrespective of his standing in the community, if you are a victim, you are a victim. I’m a police officer, and I assist everybody.”

The commission plans to dig deeper into Shibiri’s relationship with Matlala.