Suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya has accused the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party of orchestrating efforts to damage his reputation.
Speaking at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday, Sibiya pointed to a briefing delivered on 6 July 2025 by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, in which Mkhwanazi alleged that drug cartels and influential businessmen had captured parts of the criminal justice system in Gauteng.
Sibiya told the commission he believes the MK Party is actively working to politicise the South African Police Service (SAPS).
“The same MK statement is being used by a Brigadier Kunene to apply for a search warrant when my house was raided. The same MK is the one that also came and marched against me at head office. As I’m sitting in the office, you hear people toyi-toying in the street, it’s MK Party,” Sibiya said.
He also claimed that MK Party members threatened violence if anything happened to Mkhwanazi. According to Sibiya, he received messages on social media platforms such as TikTok warning him: “‘You touch Mkhwanazi, you touch us, you will see another July unrest that you never had.’ There were such messages that would come.”
Sibiya’s testimony highlights ongoing tensions within the SAPS and raises concerns about political interference in law enforcement. He told the commission that these actions were part of a broader strategy to tarnish his reputation and intimidate police officers perceived as aligned with him.
Observers say the allegations underscore the continuing challenges faced by South African law enforcement in navigating political pressures while addressing organised crime. The commission is expected to probe the claims further as part of its investigation into the operations and conduct of senior police officials.
Sibiya’s accusations add another layer to the complex debate about political influence in policing and the accountability of senior SAPS leadership.
