The Pretoria High Court has dismissed an application by the deputy national commissioner responsible for crime detection, Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya, to have his suspension declared unlawful.
Sibiya was suspended by National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola in July following earth-shattering allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Mkhwanazi had alleged that Sibiya had in writing ordered in January, February, and April 2025 that all case dockets from the Political Killings Task Team be withdrawn and brought to his office.
“In the premises (sic) the following order is made: The application is dismissed with costs,” read the high court judgement.
Dockets returned
Masemola recently announced that the 121 dockets will be returned to the task team for the investigations to continue and that Gauteng will also have its own task team to investigate political murders and taxi violence, amongst others.
Mkhwanazi accused suspended Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu and Sibiya of disbanding the task team following a raid at the home of Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, a controversial businessman currently in police custody for attempted murder.
Sibiya’s lawyer, advocate Kameel Premhid, told the court last week that Masemola was acting beyond his authority to place Sibiya under suspension.
Sibiya was suspended pending investigations on the allegations brought forth by Mkhwanazi.
He said the Judicial Commission of Inquiry chaired by retired Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga should be left to do its job.
“If Masemola says he has to discipline Sibiya, is it because he wants to be at the centre of the disciplinary proceedings?
“Let’s give him the benefit of the doubt that he doesn’t, but then why is he not allowing the commission to handle the disciplinary proceedings? With all due respect, that’s something this court should not allow,” said Prehimid.
Sunday World previously reported that, according to Premhid, while Sibiya was still at his desk, he had instructed the dockets to be returned to KwaZulu-Natal, a move Masemola supported but which was opposed by KwaZulu-Natal top cop, Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi.
