Records obtained from the phone of attempted murder-accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala reveal that deputy national police commissioner for crime detection Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya is linked to criminal cartels.
This was revealed by National Commissioner of Police Gen Fannie Masemola.
Masemola was speaking on Tuesday during the fifth day of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into criminality, political interference and corruption. The commission’s public hearings are taking place at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria.
The commission of inquiry is chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.
Deep connections to cartels
During his testimony on Tuesday, Masemola told the commission’s chief evidence leader Adv Terry Motau SC that the phone records obtained from Matlala’s cellphone revealed Sibiya’s association with criminal cartels.
“The records suggest that Sibiya is tied to deeper connections of members of the cartels. They revealed that Sibiya wants to shield the cartel members from ongoing investigations,” said Masemola.
He said Sibiya’s move to issue out instructions for the immediate disbandment of the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) SAPS political killings task team (PKTT) was not based on a procedural motive. It was based on a “motive to protect cartels”.
Masemola said Sibiya’s motive to call for the disbandment of the PKTT was borne out of the police search operation conducted on December 6 2024 at Matlala’s house.
He said between December 6 2024 and December 31 2024, there were “measures” and “communication” to disband the PKTT.
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s disbandment letter of the PKTT was issued on December 31 2024.
SAPS political killings task team
Masemola added that Sibiya’s act to take the 121 PKTT dockets from KZN to his head office in Pretoria, Gauteng, was to interfere in Gauteng cases that 10 PKTT members were involved in.
He said Sibiya is currently on suspension after an internal SAPS investigation revealed that there is prima facie evidence to suggest that Sibiya interfered and delayed police investigations of the PKTT, and he is associated to criminal syndicates.
Masemola said the allegations of Sibiya being linked to criminal syndicates are unsubstantiated. They are still under investigation.
He said Sibiya will be hauled before a disciplinary hearing while on suspension.
Masemola said Mchunu’s desire to disband the PKTT is because he wanted to put an end to the ongoing police investigations into criminal cartels orchestrating murders and drugs distribution, among others. Mchunu is currently on special leave.
Masemola, who is the commission’s second witness, started with his testimony on Monday. He concluded his testimony on Tuesday.
The commission’s proceedings resume on Thursday at 9.30am with a third witness expected to testify.
Mkhwanazi testimony
KZN police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi was the commission’s first witness. He concluded his testimony last week Friday after testifying for three days.
Mkhwanazi held an explosive media briefing on July 6 2025. During it, he said Matlala was awarded an SAPS tender worth more than R360-million in 2024.
Masemola cancelled the tender on May 13 2025. This was a day before Matlala was arrested for the attempted murder of his ex-lover, actress and influencer Tebogo Thobejane.
In his current case, Matlala (49) is charged alongside his wife Tsakani (36), two alleged hitmen, Musa Kekana (35) and Tiego Floyd Mabusela (47), and Nthabiseng Nzama (23) for the attempted murder of Thobejane and her two friends Anele Malinga and Khumbulani Ncube.
Nzama is Mabusela’s daughter.
The five accused are facing various charges. And these include conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, fraud, and money laundering. All in connection with the alleged hit on Thobejane.
Matlala denied bail
Tsakani and Nzama are out on R20, 000 and R10, 000 bail, respectively. Kekana and Mabusela abandoned their bail applications. They remain in police custody.
Matlala was denied bail last week by the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court. He remains in police custody at the Kgosi Mampuru II correctional centre in Pretoria.
The case of the five accused returns to the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on October 7 2025.
