SAPS Corruption: How high-ranking officials sabotaged murder investigations
South Africa is witnessing a pivotal moment in the quest for justice as the Madlanga Commission and the Parliament’s ad hoc committee probe deep-rooted police corruption that has long obstructed investigations into unresolved murder cases across the country.
Both the Madlanga Commission and the parliament’s ad hoc committee are examining allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal SAPS head General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who implicated high-ranking officials in orchestrating the dismantling of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) – a specialised unit charged with investigating politically motivated murders.
Recent testimonies have exposed a disturbing nexus of collusion and interference within the South African Police Service (SAPS), revealing how politically motivated murders and organised crime killings have been allowed to go unsolved for years.
At this week’s session of the Madlanga Commission, a protected witness known as B unveiled the extent of institutional decay.
“Senior police officers deliberately sabotaged investigations into the murder of Armand Swart, a Transnet engineer killed in Vereeniging, to protect corrupt interests involved in tender rigging,” B stated.
Another witness, C, a police forensic investigator, implicated Major General Richard Shibiri, Gauteng’s Head of Organised Crime, as being “deeply entangled in corrupt dealings that compromised murder investigations.”
Witness C also linked prominent businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala to the kidnapping of Jerry Boshoga, further exposing the syndicate’s reach.
The testimony extended to suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, alleging he “received payments from Matlala and criminal syndicates to obstruct kidnapping and murder cases,” revealing the alarming depth of corruption in senior police ranks.
Sibiya recently faced the parliamentary ad hoc committee investigating these allegations.
In his testimony, he maintained, “I have always acted with integrity, but internal politics and external pressures have impeded our work.”
The committee also heard that the disbandment of PKTT was influenced by “pressure from powerful figures connected to criminal syndicates,” with case files “removed without proper authorisation and subsequently ignored,” according to Mkhwanazi.
Appearing before the committee in October, Mkhwanazi accused high-ranking officials of active collusion.
“There is a deliberate attempt to protect criminal gangs. Over 120 case files were taken from the PKTT, drastically weakening our ability to investigate these violent crimes,” he alleged.
He named suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu as the orchestrator behind the PKTT’s shutdown to shield an alleged criminal syndicate.
Mkhwanazi also disclosed that forensic analysis had traced and linked weapons used in the murders of DJ Sumbody and renowned rapper AKA, high-profile killings that have profoundly affected KwaZulu-Natal.
AKA (Kiernan “AKA” Forbes) and his friend Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane were shot dead outside a Durban restaurant in February 2023.
Police confirmed that the murder weapon was recovered, and suspects may already be in custody on unrelated charges.
Further adding to the gravity of the situation, a September report by IOL confirmed that an AK-47 assault rifle and two other firearms seized in connection with businessmen Matlala and Katiso “KT” Molefe are linked to 18 murder and attempted murder cases, as well as other serious crimes.
Political analyst Joe Mhlanga commented on the revelations with cautious optimism.
“The testimonies at the Madlanga Commission confirm what many have suspected for years, corruption festers within the highest offices of the SAPS, perpetuated by a well-resourced syndicate willing to do whatever it takes to stall justice and retain power,” he explained.
Mhlanga warned that without robust oversight and reform, SAPS risks deeper infiltration by politicians and criminals.
He added: “Specialised police units are urgently needed to address systemic failings and ensure the public’s safety, including protection for whistleblowers who may now fear cooperating with the police.”
Legal expert Lucky Magagula of Magagula Attorneys echoed these concerns, emphasising the human toll of corruption.
“I can only imagine the level of distrust among victims’ families who have long sought justice for the murder of their loved ones. It is devastating that those entrusted with protection and life preservation often betray that trust,” Magagula said.
As the Madlanga Commission and parliamentary committee continue to probe these allegations, Mgagula said that the battle against police corruption is a struggle for the soul of South Africa’s justice system.
thabo.makwakwa@inl.co.za
IOL Politics