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Parliament demands answers as SAPS fails to act against Major General Shibiri
There are moments in Parliament when the room goes quiet, not because there is nothing to say, but because what has been said is deeply unsettling. This week, that moment arrived during evidence before an Ad Hoc Committee examining alleged interference within the South African Police Service.
At the centre of the storm is Major General Richard Shibiri, head of organised crime at SAPS head office, and the growing question of why no visible action has been taken against him despite serious allegations placed on record.
A murder case that raised red flags
The matter stems from the murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart, a case that has already exposed the shadowy influence of organised crime syndicates within law enforcement.
Crime Intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo told MPs that the Gauteng Organised Crime Unit had been investigating former warrant officer Pule Tau, who was identified as one of the organisers of hitmen linked to a broader criminal network. According to Khumalo, the investigation became so sensitive that a senior public prosecutor formally warned both provincial and national police commissioners about threats to investigators and the integrity of the case.
That warning triggered a threat and risk assessment and eventually a counterintelligence operation that uncovered deep infiltration of the police by criminal syndicates.
“Everything was arranged”
The most troubling testimony came when Khumalo described Tau’s unexpected bail appeal. Although Tau had initially been remanded in custody, investigators were allegedly approached by senior officers and told not to oppose his bail.
Khumalo said the investigators opposed the bail anyway but were left with the clear impression that the outcome had already been decided. After the court process, they were allegedly thanked by senior officers for not opposing bail, despite the fact that they had done so.
According to Khumalo, the instruction not to oppose bail came directly from Major General Shibiri. He told MPs that there was a sworn affidavit alleging that Shibiri contacted investigators and referred to three envelopes intended for a detective, a prosecutor, and a magistrate.
Despite opposition in court, bail was granted.
Political pressure and public anger
EFF leader Julius Malema did not mince his words. He questioned why Shibiri had not been arrested if there was evidence of interference and defeating the ends of justice, arguing that criminal conduct should lead to immediate action, not delays.
Ad Hoc Committee chairperson Soviet Lekganyane pressed further, asking whether Shibiri had even been suspended. Khumalo could not confirm this, a response that only deepened MPs’ frustration.
Outside Parliament, the reaction has been swift. On social media, many South Africans have expressed disbelief that a senior police official could still be present in SAPS offices while such allegations hang over him. For a public already weary of corruption headlines, the case has become another symbol of slow accountability at the top.
What happens next
Khumalo told MPs that the investigation into Shibiri was at an advanced stage and close to being finalised. However, MPs made it clear that this was not enough.
Lekganyane confirmed that the committee would formally write to SAPS top management demanding clarity on Shibiri’s status and the lack of visible disciplinary or criminal action. Malema echoed the call, saying both internal discipline and criminal processes should already be well underway.
For many watching from the outside, the issue goes beyond one general. It speaks to whether SAPS is capable of policing itself when allegations point to its most senior ranks. Until clear answers are given, the silence around the Shibiri case will continue to fuel public mistrust and political pressure.
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Source: IOL
Featured Image: News24
