The Sibiya file: Court hears of secret recordings and dirt on Cat Matlala and politicians

A court in Randburg has heard claims that a man known only as Mr M holds hundreds of secret recordings and other records that could expose dealings between suspended deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, alleged crime figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, and senior politicians.

The claims emerged during Sibiya’s ongoing bail application. The 59-year-old lieutenant-general faces five charges, including three counts of sexual grooming of a 16-year-old girl, one count of human trafficking, and one count of rape. He has denied the allegations and intends to plead not guilty. The state is opposing bail.

Sibiya’s wife, Sizakele Dlamini, told the court in an affidavit that Mr M had contacted her and threatened to hand over evidence to investigators. Mr M is the father of the 16-year-old at the centre of the grooming allegations. He is also said to have previously worked as Sibiya’s bodyguard.

According to the wife’s account, Mr M said he had been recording Sibiya and keeping notes of meetings he witnessed himself. He claimed to have about 300 voice recordings, photographs, vehicle-camera footage and tracking information. He allegedly told her that someone already had the material on a USB stick and that it would be released to the right people if anything happened to him.

Mr M is further said to have warned that he would not stay silent if inaccurate statements continued to be made about him. He reportedly stated he would provide information on all the cases, all the people who disappeared, all of Cat Matlala’s involvement, and all the senior officials and politicians linked to the matter. He added that he had taken pictures of meetings and that everything done in his car was on the USB.

The court also heard that Mr M hoped the situation would not reach this point, but that he was prepared to release the material piece by piece to the proper channels if necessary. Sibiya’s legal team has previously argued that certain recordings played in court were taken out of context.

Matlala, a Pretoria businessman who has secured large police contracts, has already featured in other inquiries into alleged corruption in the police service. He faces his own criminal charges, which he denies. The latest claims in the Randburg court add a new layer to the long-running scrutiny of links between senior police officers and figures outside the service.

The bail hearing continues. The state maintains that the seriousness of the charges and the risk of interference with witnesses justify keeping Sibiya in custody.

Source: https://x.com/News24/status/2107838773031579763

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