A man arrested for breaching security at the G20 global summit last weekend has been described as a key figure in the unresolved mystery of former president Jacob Zuma’s alleged poisoning.
Washington Sibanda, a Zimbabwean national, was arrested inside the high-security G20 accreditation centre last week, exposing dangerous flaws in South Africa’s intelligence vetting system and raising alarming questions about how shadowy operatives penetrate sensitive state functions.
He was detained on November 21 at the Nasrec facility after verification checks revealed his work permit had expired. But according to intelligence sources and police documents seen by this publication, the routine immigration arrest uncovered something far more sinister.
Sibanda is a known intelligence asset with multiple identities and deep connections to one of South Africa’s most sensitive political investigations.
The arrest has triggered urgent intervention from the State Security Agency (SSA), which is now seeking to interrogate the suspect. “The SSA is seeking to interrogate the suspect,” a senior intelligence official confirmed, adding, “It is not clear whether he is still under custody in Booysens or he has been moved.”
The police case report, filed by officer KM Mogotsi, records the basic facts: Sibanda was arrested at 09:45 at the Soccer City accreditation centre on charges of being an illegal immigrant. But intelligence sources reveal the man identified as “Washing Sibanda” in the report is actually a seasoned operator in South Africa’s intelligence underworld.
“The suspect was last known to be on the payroll of crime intelligence,” one source revealed, while another confirmed his use of fraudulent documentation: “The suspect also carries a South African ID and passport.”
This dual identity enabled his breach of the G20 security cordon, as he presented himself as a South African citizen, under yet another alias.
Most explosively, sources directly link Sibanda to the unverified claims that Zuma was poisoned during his presidency.
“The suspect played a role in the claims that former president Jacob Zuma was poisoned,” said another source.
His intelligence connections run deep and are historical. It is mentioned that years ago he was allegedly handled by a retired general, whose name is known to Sunday World, noted one source. Another revealed that “SAPS Crime Intelligence around 2007 helped the suspect to flee to Namibia,” indicating long-standing protection of a valuable asset.
Within intelligence circles, Sibanda has built a reputation as an information mercenary.
“Other spooks in the SSA described him as an information peddler,” a source said, adding that his credibility was so questionable that they allegedly failed to persuade former State Security Minister David Mahlobo.
The security breach represents a major embarrassment for South Africa’s intelligence community, coming as the nation prepared to host world leaders. That a figure with Sibanda’s controversial background, including expired documents, could penetrate the G20 accreditation process suggests catastrophic failures in inter-agency vetting between SAPS, Home Affairs and the SSA.
The incident resurrects questions about “Project Tin Roof”, the covert operation investigating Zuma’s poisoning claims.
During the state capture inquiry, Mahlobo confirmed the operation’s existence, testifying that “the operation relating to this matter was not limited to state security but was a security cluster one”, involving multiple intelligence agencies.
The “security cluster” typically includes the SSA, the SAPS, defence intelligence and the National Intelligence Agency.
Official questions to police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe went unanswered.
