Suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner General Shadrack Sibiya did not have a great day at the Madlanga commission on Monday as he struggled to explain the evidence presented to him.
Commission chairperson Mbuyiseli Madlanga refused Sibiya’s suggestion that he testify about the WhatsApp messages between him and Witness F after Witness F completes his testimony.
Witness F’s WhatsApp messages expose Sibiya’s alleged link with tenderpreneur Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala.
Despite the messages suggesting this alleged link, Sibiya said he had only met Matlala “less than five times” in his life.
Sibiya said he met Matlala for the first time in February 2024 at the South African Police Service (Saps) head office when Matlala went to complain about his Medicare24 Tshwane District tender.
This account contradicts Matlala’s version, who said he met Sibiya at late Pretoria taxi boss Jothan ‘Mswazi’ Msibi’s farm.
However, the commission pointed out that Matlala could not have complained about the R360 million Saps tender in February 2024 when it was only awarded in June 2024.
Witness F, Sibiya and Matlala’s alleged meeting
Witness F previously testified that when Matlala went to meet Sibiya at the head office, Sibiya asked him to fetch the tenderpreneur from the entrance.
He said he took Matlala to Sibiya’s office.
However, Sibiya contradicted that version on Monday.
“My office is structured. I have an administration, a messenger, a PA, and a staff officer. When there is someone down there,they call; one of them will be the one to fetch Matlala, which was the case. He was fetched by one of the ladies in the office,” said Sibiya.
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“Immediately after the meeting, they went and took him out, but he went to a certain brigadier. I don’t agree with what Witness F said. Witness F is not an administrator, but an operational member; he does not sit in the office waiting to be called to go fetch someone. He’s mostly not even in the office.”
Sibiya further denied having asked Witness F to act as a middleman between him and Matlala. Although he admitted to having communicated with Matlala through Witness F, he said the communication was significantly minimal.
“I made it a point not to be too close to Matlala. I never used to talk to him regularly,” he said.
‘Not aware’
Sibiya said that at the time of the meeting with Matlala, he was not aware of his alleged links to the Thembisa Hospital looting or any other allegations against him.
“If Matlala was the main player or involved, he is still not arrested to date. Above all, my employer, who did due diligence, gave him a tender of R360 million. My employee has intelligence and connections with IDAC, NPA and everybody,” said Sibiya.
“My employer, who signed the document to award the tender, knew about the situation. They gave him that tender, and they worked well with him.”
The impalas
Witness F testified that on 21 March 2025, Matlala forwarded him a voice note from a man identified as “Rudi Farm Manager”.
The man said, “Sir, sorry to bother you so early. Can you send me a pin drop where the bucks and impalas must go to, sir?”
Witness F said he did not know the man. He received the voice note from Matlala and forwarded it to Sibiya, assuming the tenderpreneur could not reach the top cop on his phone.
ALSO READ: ‘He loves money a lot’ – Inside Matlala’s relationship with Shadrack Sibiya
A screenshot then shows Matlala and Rudi Farm Manager’s communication, in which the ‘manager’ confirms receiving payment from Matlala.
Rudi Farm Manager says: “Everything has been arranged. He will catch the impalas on Sunday and transport it Monday to that location. Is it good?”
Matlala responded, “No problem”.
Witness F could not confirm whether Matlala had paid for impalas for Sibiya.
‘Never delivered’
On Monday, Sibiya said these impalas were never delivered to his home, despite his sending his home address.
“As the animals kept on dying. I was left with one waterbuck, which is still there now. I sent one of my guys to try to replace them because they were almost finished, and I was left with about six.
“The one [impala or waterbuck – there was confusion about which animal it was] that was left was very frustrated; it would jump on sheep and goats. I did not have time to look for a mate for the water buck,” said Sibiya.
“Witness F offered to help me find the mate. I never allowed those impalas to come. There were no animals that were delivered on account of Matlala or Witness F to my place, never! One thing I would like this commission to know is that I have never engaged Matlala on any other issue other than the awarded contract. I don’t know about his other dealings.”
Sibiya: ‘I could not keep them’
Sibiya explained that when he bought his property nine years ago, it already had some animals on it. He continued to take care of those animals and even bought more, including “four or six” impalas.
After they died, he sought to replace them, and Witness F offered to assist in this regard. On the texts exchanged on 21 March, Sibiya said he did not ask Witness F to get impalas from Matlala. All he knew was that Witness F was helping him get them, but he did not know who he would approach.
Even though he sent the location for the delivery of the animals, it never happened, as Sibiya said he knew better than to accept gifts from a Saps service provider.
ALSO READ: ‘I didn’t see it coming’: Sibiya on how his relationship with Mkhwanazi deteriorated
“When they asked for the location, I sent it. But when I got a break, I called Witness F to ensure they were not impalas, as he could not keep them. Whatever discussion Witness F had with Matlala, I never said to him to source the animals from Matlala.
“His promise to me was that he would help me get what I need. As to how it went about it, I feel that I should not be held accountable for a discussion between Nkosi or any other person he would have gone to see or spoken to.”
Impalas in March?
He said the last of the impalas died in November 2023. However, the pictures he sent to Lieutenant General Hilda Senthumule showed he had impalas on his property in March 2024.
The commission played an audio recording of Matlala telling police officers that he bought about 20 impalas for Sibiya.
However, Sibiya seemed to suggest the audio may have been tampered with.
“I’m very worried about the evidence leader because she selectively chooses portions that she thinks address what she wants to achieve,” he said.
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