Julius Malema was repeatedly mentioned during suspended National Head of Organised Crime, Richard Shibiri’s testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Friday.
Proceedings took a turn when a recording was played in which Shibiri was heard telling a witness that businessman Ze Nxumalo was friends with Malema, who in turn was friends with General Shadrack Sibiya.
Shibiri had earlier denied making the claim.
Guns linked to multiple murders
During questioning, evidence leader Advocate Lee Segeels-Ncube pressed Shibiri about information he had provided to investigators in 2024 regarding firearms allegedly linked to multiple murders.
“When you were telling the investigators in 2024 that the guns that were found on the alleged hitman of Armand Swart were connected to other murders, did your source tell you which murders they were?” Segeels-Ncube asked.
“No. What I heard was the murder of DJ Sumbody, the other DJ I don’t know. I think I heard about three,” he said.
Segeels-Ncube then asked, “Was it the attempted murder of Tebogo Thobejane?”
“I know that the suspects are charged with it,” Shibiri responded.
‘Good thing Matlala is in jail’
Segeels-Ncube asked whether he knew that suspects arrested for the murder of Armand Swart were also linked to Sumbody’s murder and the attempted murder of Thobejane.
“No, I didn’t know. What I knew was that the source said those firearms were going to be linked to many other murders. That’s what I conveyed to the investigators. I didn’t know they were linked to any,” he said.
According to Segeels-Ncube, investigators had found a link with the firearms, including to businessman Matlala, whom Shibiri acknowledged had previously loaned him money.
“I didn’t know about that, that it happened. And the fact that it happened is a good thing, and that he is in jail for it,” Shibiri said.
Fear to reveal some names
The hearing also revisited an earlier remark by Commission Chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, who had expressed concern that some senior police officers appeared reluctant to name certain individuals linked to alleged criminal networks.
Segeels-Ncube asked Shibiri whether he recalled the chair raising the issue.
“Yes, I do,” he said.
Shibiri admitted that fear had influenced his reluctance to mention some names.
“I didn’t want to mention certain names because I have established that even those who are on the other side or investigating are close to the same people, so you don’t know who you’re dealing with,” he told the commission.
“Even me publicly saying these things here, it’s not easy if you have information about certain things.”
‘Maybe I need to pray more’
Segeels-Ncube suggested his hesitation related to a group of five individuals he had allegedly discussed with a witness.
“Actually, I didn’t want any name to be mentioned, which I mentioned there. My prayer didn’t get through, maybe I need to pray more,” Shibiri replied.
When the advocate pressed him on specific names, including Nxumalo and Malema, Shibiri defended his caution.
“Politicians have followers, they’re like priests. You don’t know who’s out there who can do what,” he said.
‘Serious risk to testify publicly about criminal networks’
Commissioner Sandile Khumalo challenged Shibiri’s explanation, pointing out that while several names were mentioned in the recording, one particular name had been deliberately removed.
“There were names, but there is this other name that you drew the line on and said the others can be mentioned, but not this one,” Khumalo said.
“Even the recording had to be manipulated, so this name is not out. The question is why? What is the reason? I want you to look behind me and see what this commission is probing.”
Shibiri worried about his safety
Shibiri responded that testifying publicly about criminal networks could place him at serious risk.
“You have bodyguards 24/7 because you don’t want to be harmed by the same cartel. That is putting me in danger,” he said.
The veteran policeman told the commission he had asked the South African Police Service for a threat-risk assessment but had received no assistance.
“Maybe because I’m identified as a loyalist to General Sibiya,” he said.
Shibiri added that he had hoped the recording would not be played publicly.
“I said to my legal team that I don’t want this recording to be played, and if it is, it must be played in camera. I’ve seen people testifying as witness what what’, and those people are under security. I’m not.”
‘It’s because I love this country’
Pressed again on why he refused to have a specific name aired publicly, Shibiri gave a final, sombre answer.
“It’s because I love this country. I have been serving as a policeman for 38 years. I know I’ll perish one day – it’s fine. But I didn’t want all the names to be mentioned. I can mention the name in camera.”
