Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya asked to take leave of absence amid Mkhwanazi claims

Deputy police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya was asked to take leave after being accused of links to criminal syndicates and meddling in political murder probes. Gallo Images/Sowetan/Sandile Ndlovu

Deputy national police commissioner Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya has been placed on forced leave following allegations of interference in politically motivated murder investigations.
KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi accused Sibiya of improper conduct, including disbanding a police task unit investigating high-profile political killings at the alleged instruction of Minister Senzo Mchunu.
Sibiya’s leave follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of his decision to place Police Minister Mchunu on special leave.

Deputy national police commissioner for crime detection Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya has been asked to take a leave of absence following explosive allegations about interference in politically motivated murder investigations.

Sibiya, who was a central figure in the allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi last Sunday, was informed telephonically by his superior, national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola, to remain at home.

Masemola confirmed the news after receiving a memorandum of demands from Mkhwanazi’s supporters in KwaZulu-Natal.

Masemola also confirmed that investigations into the allegations were ongoing.

“He (Sibiya) has been served with documents to take leave of absence while the process is under way. We don’t normally like to discuss details of our departmental process; but yes, I do also see on the news that he has indicated that he has been served with papers,” Masemola said.

“He has been served today to stay home while other processes are unfolding,” said Masemola.

Masemola said the leave of absence would allow the police to conduct internal processes involving investigating Mkhwanazi’s allegations.

Mkhwanazi accused Sibiya of being a criminal and of improper conduct for closing a police task unit investigating political killings, allegedly at the bidding of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.

Sibiya’s forced leave comes less than two days after President Cyril Ramaphosa placed Mchunu on special leave based on Mkhwanazi’s allegations.

The unit Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of disbanding was investigating a criminal syndicate that allegedly included top police officials, members of the judiciary and members of Parliament.