A key witness has implicated two senior police officials in a kickback scheme linked to a R1.2 billion South African Police Service (SAPS) health services contract. Testifying before the Madlanga Commission on Friday, Witness C alleged that criminal kingpin Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala told him Deputy Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya and KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Major General Lesetja Senona were secretly paid multimillion-rand kickbacks.

Witness C claims that Matlala stated that "he would pay Sibiya" following each SAPS payment. “We didn’t know why he was giving us all this information, but he was detailed and confident about it,” said the witness. In May, the controversial R360 million portion of the R1.2 billion tender was canceled by Gen. Fannie Masemola, who declared that the company “should never have passed the initial bidding stage.” Witness C, who joined the Provincial Killings Task Team (PKTT) in 2020, stated that Matlala not only revealed the existence of a middleman but also implicated Sibiya and Senona. This is a Sergeant F.

Nkosi, allegedly stationed at SAPS head office in detective services, under Sibiya’s command. Matlala showed investigators a screenshot from an SAPS personnel system proving Nkosi’s identity, along with ABSA account details used to make payments. “He would pay Nkosi via EFT, and Nkosi would collect cash packages in person, meant for Sibiya,” said the witness. “In most cases, he would give Nkosi money transfers for his personal use and for the general,” Witness C continued. “He [Sibiya] would summon Nkosi to collect his packages, these were money packages.” Matlala further claimed close ties with several high-ranking officers, including Head of Counterintelligence Feroz Khan and Head of Organised Crime Richard Shibiri, and described Senona as a relative.

The witness also recounted how Nkosi allegedly tipped Matlala off before a planned police raid on his home — an operation targeting the suspected kidnapping of a mother and her child. Matlala allegedly admitted to drug dealing, lending money, and long-term criminal relationships, including with the missing businessman Jerry Boshoga, who he claimed owed him R5 million, in a further revelation. But he denied knowing about Boshoga’s kidnapping. He further claimed to have been in “constant contact” with then Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. This is a claim Mchunu has flatly denied before Parliament, saying he had “never met or spoken to” Matlala. Sibiya has denied any involvement with Matlala or the tender.