‘I’m Throwing It Away’: Sibiya Denies Receiving R300k From ‘Cat’ Matlala at Son’s Party

Suspended SAPS Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya has vehemently rejected allegations that he received R300,000 in cash from alleged crime boss Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala at his son’s surprise engagement party in September 2024, describing the claims as “malicious” and based on flimsy evidence .

Testifying at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Monday, Sibiya dismissed the allegations, which stem from a transcript of a discussion involving Matlala and others.

“This thing of R300,000 I am throwing it away. I am rejecting it right away from the onset,” Sibiya said .

The Allegation

The claim against Sibiya arises from a conversation in which Matlala allegedly admitted to arriving at the party after withdrawing R500,000, intending to give R300,000 to Sibiya. Matlala reportedly said he was driving a Rolls Royce at the time .

Sibiya challenged the commission’s investigators to verify whether Matlala actually withdrew that sum. “I deny this thing of the electronic funds transfer (EFT), R500,000, saying it is just being malicious,” he said .

He also presented evidence of a family WhatsApp group showing contributions from various family members toward the event, arguing that there was no need for outside funding .

The ‘Make a Turn’ Message

During the engagement party, Sibiya sent a WhatsApp message to Sergeant Fannie Nkosi (recently identified as Witness F), saying: “Ask Cat to make a turn.”

Sibiya explained that he sent this message after being asked if he would have a problem with Matlala fetching his wife, who had allegedly had too much to drink. He denied inviting Matlala, insisting the request was only about picking up Matlala’s spouse .

However, Commission Chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga questioned this explanation, noting that Nkosi had told him he was dropping off elderly women and would then come to the party.

“To an ordinary reader it sounds like you were inviting Mr Matlala. This idea that he was coming to pick up his wife who had taken a lot of liquor doesn’t make much sense. All you needed to say was Mrs Matlala needed to be picked up. You don’t say ‘ask him to make a turn’. You were inviting him,” Madlanga observed .

Sibiya responded: “It is the chair’s viewpoint on this thing. It is not a fact that I think I should take any further when the chair says it doesn’t make sense” .

Why Not Call Matlala Directly?

Co-commissioner Advocate Sesi Baloyi SC pressed Sibiya on why he didn’t simply speak to Matlala himself. Sibiya initially replied: “Like I indicated chair, I never made it my practice to actually communicate with him.”

Baloyi suggested this answer contradicted a January 2024 encounter where Sibiya allegedly wanted Nkosi to act as a middleman between Matlala and himself. “I didn’t need him to be a go-between,” Sibiya insisted .

The Impala Denial

Earlier in his testimony, Sibiya also denied allegations that he received impalas as gifts from Matlala and distanced himself from Nkosi’s claims of being a go-between .

Nkosi had testified that about four years ago, Sibiya instructed him to fetch Matlala, who was waiting downstairs. Matlala allegedly told Nkosi he was there to discuss a R360-million SAPS contract with his company, Medicare 24 Tshwane .

Sibiya shot down this account, saying he met Matlala in January 2024 at his office, where Matlala was brought by Sibiya’s personal assistant. He insisted Matlala, accompanied by his lawyer, visited him seeking help with a tender issue .

Commissioners questioned how this could be, given the tender was only awarded in June 2024, four months after their meeting .

No Impalas Delivered

On the impala allegations, Sibiya was categorical: no impalas were delivered to his plot because he “was not going to accept anything from a service provider” .

He said he had told Nkosi he did not need impalas, citing that they die fast and he could not afford the upkeep, having previously spent around R12,000 a month on them .

“I expressly requested that Sergeant Nkosi ensure that the correct animal, namely a bleskop, be delivered. He later indicated that he had been under the impression that I was seeking an impala. As a result of this misunderstanding, no animal was delivered to my property,” Sibiya explained .

What’s Next

Sibiya’s testimony continues as the commission probes allegations of corruption and criminal infiltration within law enforcement. The credibility of witnesses and the weight of evidenceincluding WhatsApp messages, financial records, and testimony from figures like Matlalawill ultimately determine whether Sibiya’s denials hold up under scrutiny.

For now, Sibiya maintains his innocence, dismissing the allegations as a campaign to tarnish his reputation. The commission, however, has shown it is not afraid to question his version of events.

{Source: IOL}

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