WhatsApp voice notes about impala deliveries to the home of suspended police General Shadrack Sibiya took centre stage at the Madlanga commission on Tuesday.
This police officer acting as a go-between Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and General Sibiya testified before the commission. He is referred to as Witness F.
Advocate Matthew Chaskalson dived into the back of a web of messages involving Witness F and businessman Matlala.
A WhatsApp voice note was played in which a speaker asks for a location pin indicating where impalas were to be delivered.
WhatsApp voice note linked to the impalas
Chaskalson asked where the voice note originated.
According to Witness F, it came from Matlala. Although he stated that he could not identify the person speaking in the recording.
He further told the commission that he had sent the voice note to general Sibiya as per instructions received from Matlala.
The witness said the impalas were to be delivered to General Sibiya’s home address.
Asked what he understood to be happening, Witness F replied he had no idea.
“To be honest with you, commissioners, I did not ask what was going on. I just received the message from Mr Matlala and forwarded it to General Sibiya without even asking questions of what it was for,” he replied.
Chaskalson questioned how Witness F knew the message should be forwarded to General Sibiya. He added that the text itself did not instruct him to do so.
Witness F responded that he believed the instruction came through a prior voice call.
“I assume that he might have said that because I had spoken to him prior to the voice note,” he said.
When asked whether he knew Matlala was arranging the delivery of the antelopes to Sibiya, Witness F said he did not.
Chaskalson then turned to a WhatsApp contact saved as “Comrade DD Mabuza deputy president”.
Witness F testified that the number actually belonged to Siphiwe Mabuza, the deputy president’s son.
Late deputy president’s name
Commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga asked why Witness F chose to save Siphiwe Mabuza’s number under the name of the late Deputy President David “DD” Mabuza.
Witness F insisted the number did not belong to the former deputy president. He said call data records obtained through a Section 204 application could prove that the number belonged to Siphiwe Mabuza.
However, Commissioner Sesi Baloyi pressed Witness F on why he did not save the contact under Siphiwe Mabuza’s real name. She stated that he must have had a reason, and should not claim it was arbitrary.
Witness F replied that Siphiwe Mabuza often spoke about his uncle, the late DD Mabuza.
“He was always talking about his uncle DD Mabuza, so I saved his number like that. Not that I was covering something, because he was obsessed with him,” he said.
The commission also heard evidence of conversations between Witness F and Siphiwe Mabuza about firearms.
Firearm sales business
Witness F testified that the discussions involved plans to bring firearms into South Africa and sell them to local gun shops.
He said Siphiwe Mabuza asked him to help find buyers for approximately 750 firearms.
Witness F told the commission that he did not question the legality of the transaction. And he added that the discussions stemmed from his personal interest in sport shooting.
“I did not know that it was illegal gun selling. It looked legitimate from my view,” he said.
He added that, as a police officer, he believed Siphiwe Mabuza would not involve him in the sale of stolen firearms.
“As a police officer, knowing the street value of a particular firearm, he would not send me stolen firearms knowing that I am a police officer,” Witness F testified.
