Testimony at the Madlanga commission of inquiry on Monday exposed strong contradictions between suspended deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya and police sergeant Fannie Nkosi over their interactions with businessman Vusimuzi Matlala.
Appearing before the commission in Pretoria, Nkosi changed his earlier version of when Sibiya and Matlala first met, saying he now believes they first met in August or September 2024.
Nkosi, also known as Witness F, had previously stated that their first meeting occurred in December 2023.
The change contradicts Sibiya’s own evidence before the commission, in which he said his first meeting with Matlala was at his office in February 2024.
Nkosi also alleged that Sibiya and Matlala had met before Sibiya’s son’s engagement party and thanksgiving ceremony on September 14, 2024.
However, evidence leader Advocate Matthew Chaskalson pointed out that by March 2024, Nkosi was already facilitating communication relating to the delivery of impalas from Matlala to Sibiya.
Nkosi denied that he arranged the delivery.
“I did not arrange the delivery of the impalas. I merely forwarded messages between the two,” he said.
He said he passed along a message from Matlala to Sibiya and later sent Sibiya’s location to Matlala after receiving it from the suspended deputy national police commissioner.
Sibiya’s claim rejected
Nkosi further rejected Sibiya’s claim that he had told him he did not want any impalas from Matlala.
“Sibiya indicated to me that he wanted something from Matlala,” Nkosi said.
The sergeant also disputed Sibiya’s assertion that Nkosi had never been to his office or brought Matlala there.
“That is not true. I have been in General Sibiya’s office more times than I can count,” he added.
Nkosi told the commission he could not recall Sibiya asking him to contact Matlala on September 14, 2024, to fetch his wife from Sibiya’s home because she was allegedly intoxicated and unable to drive.
He maintained, however, that Sibiya had instructed him to forward a warrant of arrest for controversial blogger Musa Khawula to Matlala.
“Sibiya instructed me to send the warrant to Matlala,” Nkosi said.
Sibiya has previously denied giving such an instruction, telling the commission that Nkosi was lying about receiving it from him.
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