Insider Claims Matlala Told Rafadi Hawks Top Job Was Promised to Sibiya

Vusi “Cat” Matlala walked into a firestorm the moment he picked up that phone. According to testimony that has rocked South Africa’s law enforcement circles, Matlala contacted a figure identified as Rafadi and delivered a blunt message: the advertised position of Hawks head was never genuinely open. Someone had already secured it. That someone was Shadrack Sibiya.

Matlala allegedly communicated to Rafadi that Sibiya himself had disclosed this arrangement — that the recruitment process amounted to little more than a formality wrapped around a predetermined outcome. The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known publicly as the Hawks, governs some of the country’s most sensitive criminal probes. Placing a loyal figure at its helm would carry enormous strategic value for anyone seeking to shield themselves from scrutiny.

Officials at the Hawks had not responded to detailed questions by the time of publication. The Presidency equally offered no clarity on whether the selection procedure followed prescribed regulatory frameworks under the South African Police Service Act. Investigators monitoring executive interference in state appointments confirmed they were aware of the circulating allegations but declined to elaborate further.

Sibiya’s name has previously surfaced in controversies surrounding high-profile prosecutorial decisions. His trajectory through the security establishment drew sustained attention from civil society organisations pushing for genuine independence within elite crime-fighting structures. The advertised vacancy, intended to signal transparent governance reform, instead became a flashpoint exposing precisely the patronage networks reformers had promised to dismantle.

One observer who attended a briefing where these claims first circulated described the atmosphere as visibly tense — seasoned professionals exchanging glances across a narrow conference table, nobody willing to speak first once Matlala’s name entered the conversation. A single document, allegedly carrying a senior signature, reportedly changed hands that evening.

If you liked this story, please follow or tip the author to help them write more!

Johnloaded feedback-opera-news-app@opera.com