A hefty R2-million to buy a B&B, R300, 000 to organise a party and the purchase of 20 impalas that later died.
It would appear the benefits to the largesse by one man from another was unending.
According to Witness C, who was testifying at the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System, this is how alleged drug cartel member Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala allegedly bribed suspended deputy national commissioner of police responsible for crime detection Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya.
During the Madlanga Commission’s proceedings on Thursday at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria, Witness C told the commission’s chairperson, retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, that after police arrested Matlala in Midrand in May for the October 2023 attempted murder of his ex-lover Tebogo Thobejane, he started telling them how Sibiya was a “criminal”.
Witness C said that Matlala told police that he gave Sibiya millions of rands in cash bribes.
PKTT background
The witness is a member of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) political killings task team (PKTT) and a certified forensic investigator specialising in fraud and corruption investigations.
He joined the PKTT in May 2020 and was deployed on December 2 2024 to assist the Gauteng organised crime unit with its investigations.
During his testimony, Witness C told the commission that after police arrested Matlala in Midrand in May, he told them that he knows Sibiya very well.
“Matlala told us how he met General Sibiya. He said he used to provide security services at the farm of the late Mr Msibi [late taxi boss Zanemvula Jothan Msibi]. He said Sibiya was a regular visitor at Msibi’s farm, where he met him. Matlala said at the farm he met Msibi’s associates and they were introduced to him as the Big Five.
“Matlala said Msibi’s farm was located around Hammanskraal in Pretoria at a game reserve. He said it was the most secure farm because only those close to Msibi had access to the farm,” said Witness C.
Scratch my back, I scratch yours
Msibi, popularly known as Mswazi, was a wealthy Pretoria taxi owner and transport mogul. He died in a Pretoria hospital in January 2024 due to an undisclosed illness.
According to national head of crime intelligence, Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo, the ‘Big Five’ is a cartel that deals in drug trafficking, contract killings, cross-border vehicle hijackings, kidnappings, tender fraud, and extortion mainly related to drug trafficking.
Witness C also said after Msibi’s passing, Matlala told police that Sibiya said that “since the old man [Msibi] has passed away, you must take care of me and I will take care of you in return…”
“Matlala’s understanding was that Sibiya wants him to take care of him financially … Matlala said Sibiya preferred cash payments and not electronic payments…,” said Witness C.
He said Matlala told police that Sibiya would instruct him to come to his house, whose location Matlala did not disclose, and drop off the money, and he would also go to Sibiya’s townhouse in a gated community in Sandton and [also] drop off money there.
“Matlala said he once gave Sibiya R1 million in a certain month and the money was a portion that came from the R360 million SAPS tender he received. He said he gave Sibiya R300 000 towards a party organised for Sibiya’s son who was getting married.
“Matlala said Sibiya once instructed him to place cash money in a dustbin located next to his SAPS office in Pretoria. He did not specify how much he gave Sibiya. Matlala further said he gave Sibiya R2 million in cash at his Sandton house to help him and his wife to purchase a B&B [Bed & Breakfast]…,” said Witness C.
Matlala told police that he bought Sibiya 20 impalas for his plot but the animals died.
