Suspended SAPS deputy national police commissioner for crime detection, Lt Gen Shadrack Sibiya, returns to the witness stand on Friday under intensifying scrutiny, as admissions made under oath at the Madlanga Commission have shifted the focus of his testimony in dramatic fashion. On the third day of proceedings in Pretoria, attention has turned sharply to the controversial disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team, a specialised unit established to investigate politically motivated assassinations. These cases, often complex and deeply destabilising, sit at the heart of democratic accountability in South Africa.
Under questioning, Sibiya conceded that the unit was disbanded without any formal review of its operational work and without a written instruction explicitly ordering its closure. The acknowledgement has raised serious governance concerns within the South African Police Service, particularly around transparency and institutional procedure. The Political Killings Task Team, commonly referred to as the PKTT, was tasked with probing targeted killings that threatened political stability, and its abrupt dissolution has now become a central point of contention before the commission.
Marais Report Justification Unravels
In earlier explanations, Sibiya had pointed to the Marais report as justification for dismantling the PKTT. However, during testimony he acknowledged that the report itself contains no recommendation that the unit be dissolved. This revelation has cast doubt over the rationale previously advanced for the decision, and has prompted commissioners to probe whether the disbandment was procedurally and legally defensible.
The inability to produce a single document formally instructing the disestablishment of the unit has further complicated matters. In administrative and policing contexts, written directives serve as critical records of accountability. Their absence raises questions about whether due process was followed or whether the decision was executed informally, potentially sidestepping established command protocols. The issue is not merely bureaucratic, it speaks directly to institutional discipline and the integrity of high level decision making within SAPS.
Political Killings Task Team Under Spotlight
The PKTT was created to address a surge in politically motivated killings that have, in recent years, unsettled communities and political structures across several provinces. Such crimes are often linked to factional disputes, competition over resources, and local power struggles, making them uniquely sensitive and requiring specialised investigative expertise. The unit’s mandate carried significant national importance, as the credibility of law enforcement in handling political violence is a cornerstone of constitutional democracy.
Its sudden disbandment without review now raises broader policy questions. Why was a unit handling such volatile cases shuttered without formal assessment of its performance, outcomes, or strategic value. The commission’s line of inquiry suggests concern that the collapse of the PKTT may have disrupted ongoing investigations, potentially affecting victims’ families and the broader fight against political violence. For many observers, the issue has moved beyond administrative oversight and into the realm of public trust.
Dramatic Accusations Rock Proceedings
Thursday’s proceedings took a sharp and unexpected turn when Sibiya levelled allegations against a senior police official. He accused Lt Gen Khosi Senthumule of allegedly benefiting financially from controversial businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. The claim injected a new dimension into the hearings, shifting the focus from procedural failures to possible ethical breaches at senior levels of policing.
The allegation, made under oath, immediately heightened tensions in the commission room. While no findings have been made, and the claims remain subject to verification, the gravity of such an accusation cannot be overstated. Allegations of financial benefit linked to a businessman described as controversial raise profound concerns about conflicts of interest and the potential erosion of professional boundaries within law enforcement leadership.
Commission Seeks Accountability And Clarity
The Madlanga Commission, established to interrogate matters of public concern within the policing environment, now finds itself navigating a complex web of procedural irregularities and serious accusations. Sibiya’s testimony has reshaped the narrative from a narrow administrative decision into a broader examination of governance, documentation, and ethical conduct at the highest levels of SAPS.
As proceedings resume, the spotlight remains firmly on the suspended deputy commissioner. His admissions regarding the absence of a written disbandment order and the limited scope of the Marais report have already altered the trajectory of the inquiry. The coming sessions are expected to test the credibility of explanations offered thus far, while commissioners continue to probe whether institutional safeguards were bypassed and whether further accountability measures may follow.
