The South African Police Service SAPS Deputy National Police Commissioner for Crime Detection, Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, has been requested to take leave of absence, EWN reports .
This comes after KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, alleged that Sibiya withdrew 121 case dockets from the Political Killings Task Team in March this year.
This was done without the authority of the National or the Provincial Commissioner. These case dockets have been sitting at the Head Office ever since without any investigation work done on them, Mkhwanazi claimed at a media briefing on 6 July.
Mkhwanazi also claimed Sibiya was acting on Police Minister Senzo Mchunus instruction issued in December 2024 to disband the Task Team.
The disbandment may have been influenced by a criminal syndicate operating in Gauteng which was also influencing prosecutors, judiciary, metro police, politicians and Department of Correctional Services officials, he further claimed.
Both Sibiya and Mchunu have denied wrongdoing. On Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that he had placed Mchunu on special leave.
Shadrack Sibiya requested to take leave of absenceAccording to EWN , the Deputy National Commissioner for Policing, Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili, called her colleague Sibiya into a meeting on Tuesday afternoon 15 July and requested him to stay at home pending investigations into Mkhwanazis claims.
The instruction reportedly came from the National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola .
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Masemola confirmed the report. Yes, he has been served with documents to take leave while processes are underway, he said.
Interestingly, while responding to Mkhwanazis claims during an interview with Newzroom Afrika , Sibiya claimed Masemola had issued instructions relating to the Task Teams disbandment.