By Everson Luhanga
- Bushiri claims his team met with General Sibiya and paid huge sums “in the name of the general” to stop his case.
- The Madlanga Commission and a parliamentary ad-hoc committee are probing Sibiya for alleged bribes, interference and dirty police tenders.
Controversial preacher Shepherd Bushiri has accused top cops of demanding bribes to make his criminal charges disappear.
In a viral video, Bushiri alleged that members of his team met with General Shadrack Sibiya in 2016, claiming that “so much money was collected in the name of this general to stop this case”.
He also said other senior police figures were part of a network that promised to “make things go away” ,a claim that, if proven, could blow open one of the biggest police corruption scandals in years.
Sibiya, who is currently facing multiple investigations, is already under pressure from two fronts, the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and Parliament’s ad-hoc committee on the South African Police Service.
At the commission, witnesses testified that Sibiya allegedly received large payments from businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, whose companies won multimillion-rand police contracts. It was alleged that the payments helped secure tenders and shielded Matlala from criminal probes.
Documents before the inquiry also suggest that senior officers loyal to Sibiya interfered in investigations into political killings in KwaZulu-Natal. Some detectives were said to have been transferred or silenced after probing politically connected suspects.
Sibiya has denied all wrongdoing, insisting he has “never been a rogue police officer”. He says the accusations are politically driven and meant to discredit his work.
But the trouble is piling up. Parliament’s ad-hoc committee on policing corruption has confirmed that Sibiya will be called to answer questions about his role in halting investigations and alleged bribe payments. Lawmakers say the testimony from whistle-blowers and internal audit records point to a “systemic pattern” of corruption.
Bushiri’s allegations now add an explosive twist. If his claims are backed by evidence, they could connect Sibiya’s alleged tender bribes with attempts to manipulate high-profile criminal cases.
Bushiri, who fled South Africa in 2020 while facing charges of fraud and money laundering, has used his platform to accuse the police of extortion and political targeting. He says his case was used as a cash cow by senior officers who promised him protection in exchange for money.
The police leadership has not yet commented on Bushiri’s claims. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate has confirmed that it is aware of the video and is reviewing it.
For now, Sibiya remains suspended and under heavy scrutiny. The Madlanga Commission is expected to make its findings public before the end of the year, and the ad-hoc committee’s report could determine whether criminal charges follow.
As one investigator told the inquiry: “If these claims are true, it means corruption has reached the very top of the police.”
This story was updated at 13:15pm
Pictured above is General Shadrack Sibiya appearing before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
Image source: Supplied
