In a dramatic escalation of tensions within South Africa’s top police ranks, National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola has confirmed that Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya has been placed on special leave following serious allegations of misconduct.
The claims, levelled by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, accuse Sibiya of colluding with Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to dismantle a task team probing political killings in the province — and allegedly shielding powerful criminal networks in the process.
Sibiya has strongly denied the allegations, dismissing them as politically motivated and part of a wider smear campaign. Minister Mchunu has not yet publicly responded, but the gravity of the accusations has prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office to authorise a judicial inquiry, to be led by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.
Both Sibiya and Mchunu have been sidelined as the investigation gets underway — a rare and high-stakes intervention signalling deep fractures within the country’s law enforcement leadership. The inquiry is expected to scrutinise not only individual conduct, but the integrity of the SAPS chain of command amid allegations of political interference in criminal investigations.
With political killings still plaguing KwaZulu-Natal, this unfolding scandal could have far-reaching consequences — for the police, for government accountability, and for the broader fight against corruption and violence in South Africa.
