South Africa: 'Make a Turn, Cat' - - Whatsapp Messages Tie Top Police Officer to Tender Kingpin

By Ferial Haffajee

General Shadrack Sibiya's ties to tender kingpin Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala are under scrutiny as WhatsApp messages reveal a deeper connection than previously claimed, indicating police corruption.

The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into corruption in South Africa's criminal justice system has heard how Deputy National Police Commissioner General Shadrack Sibiya invited the alleged criminal mastermind Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala to his son's engagement party.

Two other generals also attended the September 2024 event, as did Matlala's wife, showing a network of infiltration by the tenderpreneur, who is in jail awaiting trial for attempted murder.

Matlala had tenders of more than R300-million from the SA Police Service and was using his influence to secure more.

Since he was ensnared by KZN provincial commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's bombshell allegations of criminal infiltration of the police in July 2025, Sibiya has denied proximity to and providing favours for Matlala.

Those denials fell short in evidence at the commission on Monday, 23 February.

WhatsApp chats between Sibiya and Sergeant Fannie Nkosi, his go-between, revealed the relationship. In one set, Sibiya texted Nkosi to tell "Cat" to "make a turn".

"What does 'make a turn' mean?" asked evidence leader advocate Adila Hassim of Sibiya.

"He had to fetch his wife [who was tipsy and couldn't drive]," said Sibiya.

This suggested a deeper relationship than "making a turn", and the commissioners probed how she got...

Read the full story on Daily Maverick.

Copyright © 2026 Daily Maverick. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.