SAPS scandal deepens: Masemola’s misstep and MPs' raise evidence, whistleblower concerns

Key topics:Masemola admits breaching rules in suspending Shadrack SibiyaMPs stress witness safety and evidence protection in inquiryScandal exposes deep crisis of credibility within SAPSSign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..By Kerry Lanaghan.The storm around Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s explosive claims of high-level corruption in the South African Police Service (SAPS) is intensifying. This week, fresh revelations from the courts and Parliament highlighted deep fractures within the country’s policing leadership and growing concerns about how evidence in the saga is being handled.Masemola concedes to the flawed suspension of SibiyaIn a report by TimesLIVE, National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola conceded that he failed to follow the SAPS disciplinary code when suspending Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection.Court papers reveal that Masemola instructed Sibiya to “stay at home pending investigation” without giving him the legally required chance to make representations. Sibiya argues that Masemola acted outside the SAPS Act and disciplinary framework, simultaneously playing the roles of complainant, decision-maker and implicated party.This admission casts doubt on the commissioner’s leadership and fuels suspicions that due process is being bent to suit internal power struggles. The breach may strengthen Mkhwanazi’s central claim: that political and criminal networks manipulate police processes for their ends.Parliament zeroes in on evidence and witness protectionAt the same time, Parliament’s ad hoc committee probing the scandal is sharpening its focus. In a report by Daily Maverick, MPs met for over seven hours this week to hammer out terms of reference for their inquiry, with special emphasis on witness safety and the chain of custody for evidence.MPs across party lines agreed that whistleblowers and witnesses could be silenced or intimidated without robust protection mechanisms. Equally pressing is the need to ensure that sensitive evidence - already rumoured to be at risk of tampering - is safeguarded and handled independently.The committee’s work follows Mkhwanazi’s bombshell allegations that businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala is at the centre of a syndicate that has captured elements of SAPS. The stakes are high: if evidence is compromised, the entire inquiry could collapse before it exposes the rot.The bigger picture: A crisis of credibilityThe overlap between Masemola’s flawed suspension of Sibiya and Parliament’s concerns about due process points to a broader credibility crisis inside SAPS. For years, allegations of corruption, political interference, and organised crime collusion have dogged the service. However, the current scandal has forced the issue into the open in a way that cannot easily be ignored.Masemola’s admission of wrongdoing undermines the disciplinary action against Sibiya and raises the question: who guards the guardians? If the national commissioner himself sidesteps regulations, what message does that send to the rest of the police service?At the same time, MPs’ debate over witness safety underscores how dangerous the environment has become. If whistleblowers fear for their lives and evidence is vulnerable to tampering, the possibility of real accountability diminishes sharply.What comes nextThe coming weeks will be critical. Parliament’s committee is expected to finalise its terms of reference and begin calling witnesses - potentially including Mkhwanazi, Masemola, Sibiya, and even Matlala himself.Sibiya’s legal battle, meanwhile, could set an important precedent. If the courts find Masemola acted unlawfully, it may embolden others within SAPS to challenge irregular suspensions or decisions.For ordinary South Africans, the scandal cuts to the heart of trust in law enforcement. The sight of senior police generals accusing one another of misconduct, while Parliament scrambles to protect witnesses and evidence, feeds a perception of chaos at the top.The Mkhwanazi saga is no longer just about one businessman or police general. It has become a test of whether SAPS and, by extension, the South African state, can uphold the rule of law in the face of deep internal rot.

SAPS scandal deepens: Masemola’s misstep and MPs' raise evidence, whistleblower concerns

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