Deputy national police commissioner Lt‑Gen Shadrack Sibiya says the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) was properly authorised, procedurally managed and part of a broader restructuring of specialised units.
But he also told MPs on Tuesday evening that Crime Intelligence (CI) dysfunction and factional targeting had undermined oversight and distorted the narrative around his role.
Appearing before Parliament’s ad hoc committee for a second day, Sibiya reiterated that the PKTT’s closure followed a directive from the national commissioner’s office and he acted with delegated authority. He said the team’s work had been absorbed into the murder and robbery unit to strengthen national investigations, and the transition was governed by a formal handover protocol.
The evening session, which extended into the night, saw Sibiya shift focus from operational restructuring to internal sabotage. “I used the information to ensure that I survived,” he said, referring to warnings received from Brown Mogotsi, whose communications with Cat Matlala have been cited in evidence.
The committee is probing allegations of political interference and the capture of the criminal justice system. Senior SAPS officials, including national commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola and KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Lt‑Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, previously told MPs the PKTT was muzzled after making progress on politically sensitive cases.
Sibiya has rejected those claims, saying the team had fulfilled its mandate and the restructuring was consistent with SAPS planning.
In Tuesday night’s session, Sibiya said CI operated with “dual reporting lines” and he was not always fully informed of internal developments. Asked whether CI officers could tamper with messages on phones, he replied: “That’s doable.” He said he had experienced a SIM swap in 2022 and warned technical vulnerabilities in CI systems posed risks to investigations and oversight.
‘Act of pure criminality’
MPs again questioned Sibiya’s relationships with Mogotsi and Matlala, whose communications were cited in Brig William Kunene’s affidavit. Sibiya denied attending any meeting arranged by Mogotsi and said the information he received was general and not classified. He added Matlala was a known service provider at the time and his criminal conduct only became apparent after his arrest.
He denied allegations that covert operations justified payments to SAPS members, calling such conduct “an act of pure criminality”. He also rejected claims he procured surveillance equipment while at the City of Johannesburg, saying the public protector initially cleared him and the Hawks later confirmed the findings.
Sibiya said he was appearing “under protest” and warned that internal divisions and factional dynamics were harming SAPS leadership. “We are creating a monster which no one will control,” he said, referring to Mkhwanazi’s public campaigning and social media presence.
Throughout the extended hearing, Sibiya positioned himself not as the architect of interference but as its casualty — a senior officer caught in the crossfire of a political succession battle. He told MPs he had been “smeared” after applying for the Hawks’ head position and said the allegations against him were “contrived”.
His testimony suggested the inquiry itself had become a platform for factional agendas, with his conduct misrepresented to block his advancement. “The bottom line is there is a clear focus on a group of people who focus [on the fact] that I am out of the system,” he said.
The committee must now reconcile competing accounts and documentary evidence. Sibiya said he would submit minutes from a disputed November meeting with the minister, which the evidence leader said was not reflected in his sworn statement.
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