‘People are being taken for a ride’: Sibiya accuses Mkhwanazi of misleading SA

Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya has made sweeping accusations against KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, suggesting that his actions are part of a succession battle within the South African Police Service (Saps).

Sibiya made the remarks while testifying before Parliament’s ad hoc committee at the Good Hope Chamber in Cape Town on Tuesday.

The inquiry is probing Mkhwanazi’s allegations of political interference, corruption, and collusion within the criminal justice system.

Mkhwanazi has alleged that Sibiya and Police Minister Senzo Mchunu conspired to dissolve the KZN-based political killings task team (PKTT) — which was never formally shut down — to protect criminal syndicates.

The supposed “disbandment” was prompted by a 31 December 2024 instruction from Mchunu to National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola, resulting in the transfer of 121 PKTT dockets to Saps headquarters in March this year.

Disbandment of the political killings task team

On Tuesday, Sibiya told MPs that he believed the dockets rightfully belonged with the Saps’ murder and robbery unit, disputing Mkhwanazi’s claim that they had been neglected.

While acknowledging that the PKTT had achieved good results, Sibiya said its efforts could be better.

He also alleged that Masemola had been consulted about the task team’s disbandment on 27 November 2024, in a meeting attended by all relevant stakeholders.

“The national commissioner was consulted. He never actually showed to be against the disbandment, and as a result, the process started.”

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This claim directly contradicted Masemola’s earlier testimony that he only learnt of the matter after returning from leave in January 2025.

Sibiya said the November meeting was prompted by a letter from violence monitor Mary de Haas to Parliament and Mchunu, suggesting that the PKTT should be shut down following complaints from communities in KZN about its conduct.

The deputy national commissioner maintained that he acted on a 3 January directive from Masemola’s office to disband the PKTT and submit a closure report by 14 January, which was to be sent to the minister by 20 January.

Watch the ad hoc committee inquiry below:

Sibiya, who is currently suspended pending disciplinary proceedings, denied that he had taken unilateral action.

“I didn’t jump in on my own; I was invited in directly by the office of the national commissioner.”

He added that Masemola’s being on leave “doesn’t change anything”.

“As the national commissioner of the South African Police Service, he remains responsible and accountable.”

Sibiya criticises Mkhwanazi

MK Party MP Sibonelo Nomvalo questioned whether Sibiya agreed with Mkhwanazi’s view that the PKTT was mistakenly targeted because it was thought to be investigating criminal syndicates in Gauteng.

“When [the PKTT dockets] arrived in Gauteng, the people who wanted to influence them realised that these are dockets that are only related to matters of KZN,” Nomvalo said.

Sibiya disagreed, accusing Mkhwanazi of deliberately misleading the public during his 6 July media briefing.

“I must add that the people of South Africa must begin to realise that this is someone playing with people’s minds. He’s playing the people of South Africa.”

Sibiya said the PKTT’s mandate had always been KZN-related and that its dockets covered various criminal cases.

“As much as he is trying very hard to bring this political killing task team and throw it into the spanner and saying that it has been disbanded because of this, it is far-fetched.

READ MORE: ‘I didn’t see it coming’: Sibiya on how his relationship with Mkhwanazi deteriorated

“It’s not true. He’s just trying to bring this thing to look for a motive that he can connect to the criminal underworld.

“But when you look at all of these case dockets, none of them involve the Big Five [cartel], Katiso Molefe, [Vusimuzi] Cat Matlala, [Oupa] Brown Mogotsi, or whoever, at all.

“So all I’m saying is that it is not a missed target.”

He added that Mkhwanazi’s statements should not automatically be taken as fact.

“These are the statements that are to be put before us as if we must accept that it is true; it is not true.”

Sibiya dismissed claims of corruption against him, saying all the allegations were “false, contrived and frivolous”.

A battle for the top job?

DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach questioned whether “all this fuss” following Mkhwanazi’s press conference was a genuine effort to expose corruption — or part of a power struggle within the police service.

“Is this the battle for the top job when Masemola retires?” she asked.

Sibiya agreed, describing the situation as a “succession battle”.

He claimed the allegations were an attempt to block his candidacy for head of the Hawks following Godfrey Lebeya’s retirement, a position he had publicly expressed interest in.

“The next thing you see is a newspaper article that says Sibiya vs [Tebello] Mosikili vs Mkhwanazi,” he testified.

‘Those dockets were dead a long time ago’

Sibiya alleged that the arrest of Crime Intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo – who is out on R10 000 bail – had “angered” Mkhwanazi.

“To an extent that he sent a song to one of his friends or colleague… that says, ‘I’ll kill them at night when they are sleeping’.”

He said there were rumours circulating that he had played a role in the arrest.

“I ended up calling the national commissioner, saying… I don’t know about this arrest. Nobody knew; I didn’t even expect it.”

The deputy national commissioner said he later received calls from journalists asking whether he would be arrested as well.

READ MORE: Madlanga commission: Mkhwanazi questions Sibiya’s promotion despite ‘questionable background’

Sibiya also claimed that Mkhwanazi had admitted before Parliament that Masemola was on the “doorstep of being arrested”.

“It’s a direct admission that this was just a pre-emptive strike, so the people of South Africa are being taken for a ride that this is about the disbandment… because these dockets were not gathering dust in my office.”

He argued that some of the cases in question were already dormant.

“For us to be sitting here talking about the dockets is a non-issue. Those dockets were dead a long time ago; they are still dead now.”

Sibiya accused Mkhwanazi of manipulating public perception for personal gain.

“He knows how to play with words, the things that he needs to say and how to say it in a way that the country gets moved.”

Sibiya warns about Mkhwanazi’s social media presence

Sibiya also criticised Mkhwanazi’s appearance at his 6 July briefing, where he wore a camouflage uniform.

“At some point in my life I also wore a camouflage uniform; maybe I should wear one and go hold a press conference as well and talk about things, but I will be fired from the police at the same time.”

He accused the KZN police chief of using his “very powerful” social media presence — particularly on TikTok — to build public support.

“This wins all South Africans. You touch Mkhwanazi, you touch us, but he is a policeman,” Sibiya said.

He warned that Mkhwanazi’s growing influence could undermine accountability.

“We are creating a monster that no one is able to control. We can’t allow such a situation as a country to continue.”

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