L T - G E N S H I B I R I

Lt-General Shibiri denies allegations made on top of his statement and clarifies he was asked a question.

“And I am giving my reasons why I deny it. If you added something on to Zee, then I deny.”

Lt-General Shibiri states he informed and shared information about a group of five individuals involved in mining rights, including Mr Molefe and the deceased Mr Mswazi.

“I agree with the statement to say, yes, I informed, and I shared information with him to say that the same person, I got information that he was working with somebody, and they were a group of five and they are having mining rights, yes.”

Lt-General Shibiri states the group of five partners includes those who worked for the deceased Mr Mswazi as contract killers, had mining rights, and that three arrested individuals belonged to this group.

“I am saying they were a group of five partners according to information ... The arrested person ... belonging to the group of the deceased, and they were about five. They are having also companies.”

Lt-General Shibiri explains Joe and Zee are not part of the group of five and there is rivalry between Joe and Mswazi, who belonged to different groups.

“I just indicated to say the name Joe came out to say after Mswazi's demise, then he is the one who took charge on the taxis. ... I am sure everybody knows that there was a rivalry between Joe and Mswazi, then there cannot be the same group ...”

Lt-General Shibiri states Zee is not part of the group of five because he was not mentioned in the information he received.

“Because he was not mentioned in that information I got.”

Lt-General Shibiri was told by a source that three arrested persons previously worked for Mr Mswazi as contract killers and that a person arrested with Mr Molefe was also working with Mr Mswazi and others, involved in mining.

“The source indicated to me that they arrested three. They previously worked for Mr Mswazi as contract killers. And later on ... I got further information that this person was working with Mswazi and the other people, and they were also involved in mine.”

The witness indicated having a serious challenge in the workplace where many unnecessary tasks and information are directed to them, including violent incidents in Port St Johns.

“I had a serious challenge in my workplace that everything is pumped to me, even including things which does not need my components ... gave example of serious and violent happening in Port St Johns”

The witness expressed frustration about constantly having to respond to calls and said they sometimes had to answer calls despite being off sick.

“it is becoming more difficult and more difficult for me to respond ... sometimes I am off sick, I am phoned for a small thing ... it is annoying”

The witness stated they took the post voluntarily and cautioned themselves about the workload, but still received annoyingly frequent phone calls about minor matters.

“I voluntarily took the post and applied for the post ... even though sometimes it makes me angry to say I am off sick I am phoned for a small thing ... those are the things which is annoying”

The witness stated that they are not linking General Sibiya to the taxis and extortion matter and asked for time to provide feedback later.

“No ... I said no General, but I asked myself, okay, I said no General, give me time, I will give you feedback later”

Cultivation involves sending someone to befriend people to gain trust and then propose something later without appearing sinister, to infiltrate and influence.

“I tried to describe previously, to say what is cultivation, taking it from our side, when you cultivate an agent. Someanig you send somebody to go and befriend these people, work with these people, they gain trust on you, and then for future use, or for planned things which are still coming, or for the exact thing which is happening, and then on the later stage, you can be in the able position to propose something to them. So, the cultivation is about that. Sending somebody in, and then that person works with the people, goes out with the people, gain trust from those people.”

Cultivation is used to infiltrate and work within enemy groups, as in the example of Maswanganyi where people who were supposed to eliminate them were sent to work with them.

“because even in that case of Maswanganyi, the people who were supposed to eliminate us, some were sent to work with us.”

Infiltration happens by recruiting members inside or sending members from outside to be inside individually; it is not a capture of the whole police.

“it is by recruitment of members inside, or you send members from outside to be within the inside as individual members, and it is not happening like as a whole capture of the whole police”

There was a threat against investigators investigating a murder case where a white person was killed, and one of three suspects arrested is a police officer.

“I have got information about a threat against your investigators investigating a case of murder whereby a white person was killed, I did not have the details and three suspects were arrested, one of the suspects is a police officer.”

The threat also involved intended bribery related to the murder case.

“when I told her about the threat and that there is intended bribery, she told me that no, about this case, there was a drama in court and I had to send my TRT, the TRT and my tracking team to go and assist in transporting the members.”

The arrested suspects for the Maswanganyi murder included a police officer but no hit orderers were arrested; investigation ongoing.

“There was also a police officer that was arrested.”

Four of six suspects in the Maswanganyi murder case were sentenced, with three imprisoned for life and one released; two suspects had charges withdrawn.

“We finished the case at the High Court by sentencing those four. Out of six we sentenced four. One became one of five there. The other three were sentenced for life. And the other two met who were withdrawn against them.”

Due to threats received, L T - Genshibiri and his team had to operate from a safe house for security reasons.

“... you had to go into a safe house due to the threats that you had received ... That is correct. After threat analysis and ... everything is as a safehouse ...”

Lt. Gen. Shibiri confirmed he did tell investigators about a bribe being brought and threats if the bribe was rejected, including that suspects are hitmen who will continue threats regardless of bribe acceptance.

“I said there will be a bribe brought to you and consequently when you do not take the bribe there will be a threat to you because these people are hitmen and even if you take the money still there will be still a threat against you.”

Lieutenant-General Sibiri stated that he went to Vodacom and the cyber office to get WhatsApp data but they could not help him, contradicting the suggestion that he chose not to provide WhatsApp messages.

“I indicated on my statement that I went to Vodacom and they could not help me. And I went to our cyber office, also, they could not help me. I indicated even the name of the Colonel I spoken to. So not to say I chosen not to.”

Lt-Gen Sibiri admitted he did not know Vodacom could not assist with WhatsApp data at the time he sought help but accepts that now.

“I accept now because I know now. I did not know that time.”

Lt-Gen Sibiri acknowledged that though the option to provide devices for data retrieval was available, nobody requested it, and he did not offer it despite a request for WhatsApp messages.

“That option was there and nobody asked.”

Lt-Gen Sibiri has his devices with him and can provide them for examination if requested.

“I have my devices with me. I can give it to you if you want.”

Lt-Gen Sibiri stated that his 071 number phone was stolen in February 2025, but WhatsApp messages on that number show communications in October 2025, creating a discrepancy.

“Your 071 number was stolen in February 2025 and yet the WhatsApp messages indicate that you were communicating in October on this same number.”

Lt-Gen Sibiri confirmed the phone with the 071 number was lost on February 8th, 2025, but he only started using the replacement in March 2025.

“No, it was lost in February the 8th and the date which I was not sure or which I indicated, it started working in March.”

There was an interruption in WhatsApp communications from Sibiri's 071 phone between 8th and 20th February 2025, consistent with his version that the phone was lost and then replaced.

“If you go to that conversation on the 8th, you will see that there is a place where it stops communications... It is only on the 20th where conversations resume... That accords with the version that there is some interruption of his usage between the 8th and the 20th.”

Lt-Gen Sibiri periodically deleted WhatsApp messages including from his work number, and although some messages remain, he did not provide those messages.

“I periodically deleted messages as well, even on your work number. Yes, but there is some few messages... No ... Maybe I was clouded by that thing that all the, all, most of my WhatsApp messages were deleted, but they are still here, those few messages.”

Lt-Gen Sibiri stated he did not recall sending or receiving WhatsApp messages to Mr Matlala after his phone was repaired, on either his work or private phones.

“To the best of your recollection, you do not recall receiving or sending WhatsApp messages to Mr Matlala after the phone was repaired. On my work phone, but on the private phone I remember I phoned, I did not send a message.”

Lt-Gen Sibiri confirmed that the 071 number is his number and that he had WhatsApp message downloads from Mr Matlala's phone.

“That is correct. And the second number there is that of Mr Matlala. I will agree. And these are downloads, these are WhatsApp downloads from Mr Matlala's phone.”

There were several phone calls exchanged between Lt-Gen Sibiri and Mr Matlala from December 30, 2024 through 2025 across both phones.

“Starting from the 30th of December 2024 ... And then you see ... there was quite a few calls between you and Mr Matlala on that phone ... He calls you on the 23rd of January ... You call him on the 24th of January ... He calls you or returns your call on the 24th and then you call him again on the same day ... That is, and then he calls you and you call him ... Yes, and that is 2025 ... There was quite a few calls between you and Mr Matlala on that phone.”

Lt-Gen Sibiri confirmed that after he fixed his phone in February and April 2025, he does not recall calling Mr Matlala on his official phone but admits contact was maintained via his private phone.

“After I have fixed my phone I do not recall calling him on my official phone. But this is my private phone and you have corrected me that by the 20th of February I bought another phone. I thought by March ...”

Claims submitted to Thabanga Finance pertained to subsistence and travel allowance.

“If you look at chat 5, there you asked him to send your claim form to Thabanga Finance... it is subsistence and travel allowance.”

Travel advances are given and must be claimed back within 7 days, or else deducted from salary as a debt if not claimed back in time.

“When you go, they give you standing advance money... When you come back, you must claim it back to be paid or else, if a certain duration passes, 7 days, then they create a debt and take from your money.”

Lieutenant-General Shibiri gave work-related instructions such as meeting invitations to the National Organized Crime Secretariat (NOCS) for forwarding to stakeholders.

“When I am not working from the office, and there is urgent document, they will send him to bring form to sign... the NOCS is National Organized Crime Secretariat, which I am chairing on... the meeting was for the coming, they were supposed to, I signed. He was supposed to give to Brigadier... to forward to the stakeholders in time so that they can read the previous minutes before the date... so it was work-related.”

L T - Genshibiri never conducted a preliminary check on a person he thought looked like a good person in business without suspicion.

“I must have a suspicion of some sort or certain thing which was said which I heard or suspecting that he might be doing something wrong . Other than that, I will be profiling everybody I am meeting. So, I do not do that unless I have a reason.”

L T - Genshibiri visited Mr Matlala in 2019 to inquire about a criminal suspect who was providing VIP services.

“when you went to see Mr Matlala in 2019 , you went to his business premises to enquire about a criminal suspect that he was providing VIP services for.”

L T - Genshibiri considered Mr Matlala a clean person based on his cooperation and assistance, despite the criminal suspect he was providing security to being later convicted.

“his cooperation and how he assisted us, it seems to be a clean person.”

L T - Genshibiri continued talking to Mr Matlala because he could provide information about persons of interest and events.

“yes , and it was going to be of assistance of me to getting closer to him to getting information as and when I want.”

L T - Genshibiri said it did not occur to him to do a preliminary check on Mr Matlala because providing security was his business.

“No, providing security, it was his business.”

Between 2019 and 2025, despite frequent informal and telephonic interactions with Mr Matlala, L T - Genshibiri never profiled or did any check on him until his arrest when his profile was seen.

“no matter how frequently you chatted , no matter what kind of information he gave you , it simply never dawned on you between 2019 and 2025 to do a check on him? Yes. ... I had seen his profile this year, 025 , when all these things were coming out.”

L T - Genshibiri and Mr Matlala had limited telephonic interactions and met physically at a party once in 2024.

“I can not say because you will phone as there is a need. I will phone as there is a need . Meeting physically . For example , 2024 , we met once . At the party .”

The majority of communications or calls between L T - Genshibiri and Mr Matlala were on WhatsApp, and call data shows L T - Genshibiri called Mr Matlala more frequently than the reverse.

“most of your communications or the calls were on WhatsApp . So , this represents the calls we could pick up from call data . And in that small sample as well , what you will see is that you call him more than he calls you.”