Madlanga Commission grills Sibiya on PKTT disbandment

Mandlanga Commission Chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga has challenged suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner General Shadrack Sibiya on his assertion that General Fannie Masemola shouldn’t have been surprised at the Political Killings Task Team’s disbanding.

Sibiya told the commission that many discussions took place on the unit’s dissolution.

But Justice Madlanga pointed out the contradiction in Sibiya’s statement, as he had also testified that he did not expect the unit to be dissolved.

Masemola previously testified that he was left surprised by the letter from Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, which stated that the PKTT must be disbanded immediately.

Today, Sibiya testified that Masemola’s reaction to the PKTT disbandment was suspicious, because he knew that the discussions were happening.

Madlanga: I think the first time you mentioned it, you said we all did not expect the disbandment, and then you said it again later. You’ve said it four times.

Sibiya: That’s correct.

Madlanga: I find it rather odd that you say you were not surprised and that General Masemola should not have been surprised, when all of you – you say four times – did not expect this. I’m just making that observation and to have it on record.

Sibiya returns to the stand tomorrow.

General Sibiya was questioned on the Marais report that was used to substantiate the disbanding of the PKTT. He was also questioned why it seemed as though the PKTT was the only task team that was singled out for dissolution.

The disbanding of the PKTT is at the centre of investigations looking into alleged political interference in law enforcement agencies at the Madlanga Commission.

Sibiya, who insisted on a PKTT closing report from General Dumisani Khumalo, testified that the Marais report was used to justify the unit’s disbanding. The report has recommended that provincial investigative units must be closed down.

But Justice Madlanga put it to Sibiya that the Marais report did not state that the PKTT must be disbanded.

Mandlanga: We see nothing – unless you go back to it and show us – we see nothing that says PKTT, you are being disbanded. We don’t see that. Show us. Take us. You said you went through this document overnight and that you did so thoroughly. Show us a decision that says PKTT, you are being disbanded.

Sibiya: All I can say, Chair, is that in all these documents, re-establishment and this one of evaluations of the implementation of…

Madlanga: You will take us to others.  Let’s not be disorganized.

General Sibiya was also questioned on why the PKTT was singled out to be disbanded when other task teams existed.

General Sibiya has previously testified that the PKTT required a huge budget to stay in operation. However, evidence leader Advocate Adila Hassim put it to Sibiya that the PKTT was not the only unit that was allocated a big budget.

Hassim: There are other task teams with big budgets, do you agree?

Sibiya: Yes, I agree.

Hassim: Some with bigger budgets than the Political Killings Task Team.

Sibiya: Yes, I agree.

Sibiya returns to the stand on Friday.

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