Suspended deputy police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya underwent intense cross-examination at the Madlanga Commission on allegations of leaking a confidential SAPS audit report to businessman Vusimuzi Matlala. The report recommended cancelling a R300-million police contract with Matlala. Sibiya admitted the possibility that the document would reach Matlala via an intermediary.
Suspended deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya faced scrutiny at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on 24 February 2026 over claims he leaked a confidential South African Police Service (SAPS) audit report. The document, marked 'confidential,' recommended terminating a R300-million contract with tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala due to potential irregular spending and tender fraud.
The inquiry stems from a WhatsApp message on 22 March 2025 from journalist Abram Mashego seeking comment on a story about the audit. Sibiya then shared the report with Sergeant Fannie Nkosi, who allegedly forwarded it to Matlala via WhatsApp a month before the contract's formal cancellation in May 2025.
Evidence leader Advocate Adila Hassim, SC, questioned why Sibiya shared the report with Nkosi, given Nkosi's alleged role as a go-between. Sibiya initially claimed the document was not confidential and already public, but this was contradicted by its watermark, leading to an apology.
Commission chair Mbuyiseli Madlanga pressed Sibiya: “Did you accept the probability Nkosi would share the document with Matlala?” Sibiya replied, “Yes, chair.” Madlanga added, “You were, in essence, alerting Matlala through Nkosi — effectively saying: be aware, there is trouble brewing.”
Co-commissioner Sesi Baloyi noted that Mashego's message included no attachment of the report, confirming it was not public. The hearing also touched on Sibiya's associations, including Nkosi arranging meetings with underworld figures and Matlala attending Sibiya's son's engagement party.
In related testimony, Sibiya denied knowing that his bodyguard Stuart Scharnick had 34 criminal charges and 18 convictions, as revealed by Crime Intelligence head General Dumisani Khumalo. Sibiya defended the relationship, stating, “You don’t investigate a person criminally when you meet him the first time.”
The Madlanga Commission is investigating alleged criminality and corruption in South Africa's law enforcement agencies following claims by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
