Madlanga Commission | Witness claims Sibiya has close ties to Malema

Witness A at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has made explosive allegations, linking suspended Deputy Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya to EFF leader Julius Malema.

According to the witness, General Richard Shibiri, head of the police’s Organised Crime Unit, told him that Sibiya is a close friend of Malema.

Witness A has been providing his version of events surrounding the arrest of businessman Katiso “KT” Molefe, who was recently granted bail in a case where he stands accused of orchestrating the murder of musician DJ Sumbody.

Molefe is also suspected of directing the hit on Armand Swart.

The witness claims that during a phone call, General Shibiri attempted to persuade him that Molefe was deeply connected to influential political and business figures. He alleges that Sibiya, through his supposed ties to Malema, had a vested interest in the Molefe case and maintained personal connections with him.

He further claims that after Molefe’s arrest, Sibiya applied pressure on multiple police officials, demanding frequent updates on the Swart investigation. Shibiri allegedly implied that Molefe had strong ties to high-ranking officers within the police service, who were prepared to go to great lengths to protect him.

Witness A says Shibiri also told him he had declined Sibiya’s invitation to a birthday party at his farm, citing illness, as a means to avoid being questioned about the Swart case.

“Shibiri later said he regretted referring Sibiya to General Mbuso Khumalo, head of detectives, for more information on the matter — admitting he feared upsetting Sibiya because he believed he owed his recent promotion to him,” the witness added.

He said during a search and seizure operation at Molefe’s residence, individuals claiming to be from the Hawks arrived, demanding access to case information. However, officers from the Organised Crime Unit — who were then working with the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) — refused, arguing that the request was procedurally inappropriate.

He claims that after declining to share the case details, a Hawks member even suggested arresting him for insubordination.

In a startling detail, the witness also recalled seeing a Gauteng Traffic Police helicopter hovering over Molefe’s mansion during the raid, reportedly piloted by Chief Inspector George Raftopoulos.

Inside the house — specifically in what Molefe called the “family office” — police reportedly discovered a trove of Transnet tender-related documents. Molefe claimed the documents belonged to his son, Lucky Molefe, who was employed by Transnet.

The documents listed various companies allegedly vying for contracts at the state-owned enterprise. Among them were papers linked to the SK Group, which has previously surfaced in the investigation into Armand Swart’s murder.

“We were shocked. Lucky Molefe held the position of buyer at Transnet, and when questioned, Katiso denied any involvement with the documents, shifting blame to his son Thapelo and nephew Lucky,” said the witness.

According to Witness A, during the same search operation, Hawks officials showed up claiming they were sent by former Hawks head Dr. Godfrey Lebeya to understand the motive behind the raid.

Witness A concluded his testimony by saying that the commission is expected to hear from Witness B, who will reportedly expand on allegations that Molefe plotted to assassinate members of the investigating team.

Written by: Odirile Rabalao