By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The suspended Deputy Commissioner responsible for the crime detection Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya returned to the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry for his fourth day of testimony on Monday.
Sibiya faced allegations that he received financial favours from Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala in exchange for influencing matters within the South African Police Service (SAPS).
He maintained that his interactions with Matlala were limited, claiming they met in person fewer than five times.
Sibiya explained that he referred to Matlala by his nickname “Cat” because it was commonly used, and insisted this did not imply friendship.
Sibiya further denied that Matlala attended his son’s engagement party as an invited guest.
This follows earlier testimony suggesting that Sibiya personally invited Matlala to celebrate the occasion.
The commission examined WhatsApp exchanges between Sibiya and Witness F, Fanie Nkosi in which Sibiya asked Matlala to “make a turn” at his home after queries were raised about whether Matlala would be welcomed at the September 2024 event.
He further testified that several senior SAPS officials attended the engagement party, including General Khosi Senthumule, Matlala’s wife, and former SAPS College head, Sandra Malebe-Thema.
According to Sibiya, Matlala was not viewed as a criminal figure at the time but as someone generally known within SAPS circles.
Sibiya also rejected claims that Matlala arranged for impalas to be delivered to his Centurion property.
After he was fired by the police in 2015 (the Labour Court later ordered his reinstatement), Sibiya took his package and bought a “plot”, which he stocked with game. By his own account, he was not very good at game farming.
“Over time, a number of animals died,” he told the commission. “The upkeep of the antelope proved burdensome.”
He used ‘antelope” and “impala” interchangeably, possibly to confuse the commissioners because one of the allegations he faces is that Matlala restocked his farm with impala in return for favours. These included trying to sort out his police tender troubles and helping to have a troublesome social media gossip star arrested.
The commission’s WhatsApp trove showed that a location pin to Sibiya’s farm had been sent to a game supplier who was to drop off something.
“I was engaged in meetings and sent [fixer Nkosi] a location,” said Sibaya.
He said that the wrong animal was brought and claimed to have also told his man that he could not take anything from Matlala because he was a police service provider. Sibiya will continue with the cross-examination on Tuesday.