The appointment of Matthews Sesoko as head of investigations for the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) reveals that the current government administration is a disaster. 

This is according to the Progressive Civics Congress (PCC), which said the appointment remains questionable following Sesoko’s history as the national head of investigations at the Independent Police Investigation Directorate (IPID). 

On Friday, Sesoko, was kidnapped and assaulted near Midrand, before being abandoned by his attackers, who made off with his official cellphone and laptop.

Immediately, concerns were raised about what information was on Sesoko’s work cellphone and laptop and how this will impact the parliamentary inquiry investigating allegations made by the Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal police provincial commissioner regarding criminal infiltration, corruption, and political interference within South Africa’s justice system.

Sesoko’s alleged kidnapping took place shortly after IDAC head, Advocate Andrea Johnson, testified before a Parliamentary Committee probing allegations of corruption and political interference within the criminal justice system. 

He was appointed to IDAC in 2021 but in 2015, Sesoko was suspended alongside then IPID head Robert McBride and Limpopo provincial head Innocent Khuba, as they faced charges related to allegedly altering an IPID report concerning the illegal 2010 rendition (deportation) of Zimbabwean murder suspects.

The initial report, signed by Khuba, recommended criminal charges against former Hawks head Anwa Dramat and Gauteng Hawks head Shadrack Sibiya, but a later report, co-signed by McBride and Sesoko, cleared them.

Sesoko was dismissed in absentia in August 2016 after being found guilty of gross misconduct and defeating the ends of justice by a disciplinary inquiry, while he was hospitalised for depression.

These actions were later considered to be part of alleged “state capture” effort by politically connected individuals to purge officials who posed a threat to them.

Sesoko testified at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture that he was dismissed without a chance to give evidence and that there was an orchestrated effort to target Dramat and McBride.

He challenged his suspension and dismissal at the Labour Court and was reinstated to his position. 

Sesoko was suspended again in March 2020 by the incoming acting head of IPID, Patrick Setshedi, who implemented the Auditor-General’s recommendations regarding allegations of irregular expenditure and an irregular appointment. The implicated officials, including Sesoko, filed papers with the Pretoria High Court, which interdicted the remedial action, effectively suspending the disciplinary steps.

PCC, a social justice organisation, through its Deputy Secretary, Sipho Shange said there are questions around Sesoko’s appointment, which took place despite his background. 

Asked what recruitment and vetting procedures were followed in the appointment, IDAC spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the anti-corruption unit would not comment. 

Shange said it is also concerning that IDAC is not transparent with the information regarding the recruitment process involving Sesoko. 

“You can’t be dismissed twice and brought back to deal with corruption. This is crazy, and it shows that everything in this country is crazy. (President Cyril) Ramaphosa’s administration is a disaster,” he said.

Asked why Sesoko resigned, IPID spokesperson, Lizzy Suping, said Sesoko was seconded to assist in the establishment of the ID (which was replaced by IDAC in August 2024) in 2021, and was later absorbed into the institution. 

Sesoko led the investigation that resulted in the arrest of Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo and six other senior officials in June 2025. 

The high-profile arrests were related to charges of corruption and fraud, specifically concerning the allegedly irregular appointment of an official to an executive position within Crime Intelligence, despite a lack of required experience. 

However, during his appearance before the Ad Hoc Committee, Mkwanazi said while IDAC has a good structure, it also contains a “malicious structure that is used as a weapon to further disrupt the criminal justice operations”.

He alleged that IDAC is conducting a “witch-hunt” and deliberately targeting some Crime Intelligence (CI) officers, including Khumalo, to impede serious criminal investigations. 

However, Johnson on Friday told the committee that there was no “witch-hunt” and that she had sufficient evidence in the cases the unit pursued. But the committee noted that it had not received all relevant documents related to the ongoing investigations and requested that they be submitted as soon as possible.

Although he did not confirm whether Sesoko’s appointment will be subjected to the ongoing investigations, Albert Mncwango, an IPF MP and Ad Hoc Committee member, said he was not surprised but ‘it is worrying that such dubious appointments keep coming up’.

“Something is not right. Sibiya was fired and was subsequently employed by the City of Johannesburg. Somehow, he challenged the dismissal, was reinstated and he was appointed as Deputy Commissioner. This is despite him failing a competency test. I am not surprised that Sesoko has these issues around his appointment.”

Political analyst Zakhele Ndlovu said the message behind Sesoko’s appointment was clear, that there are no consequences for wrongdoing, adding that those who gave him a “pass” should be fired. 

Another political analyst, Professor Sipho Seepe, said the appointment reeks of possible corruption and kickbacks. 

“Should this not be the case, the appointment would amount to a daring form of irregularity. This is something that the Ad Hoc Committee should look into.”

manyane.manyane@inl.co.za

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