Suspended deputy national police commissioner Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya has accused the South African Police Service (SAPS) of abusing its power following a raid at his Centurion home, during which electronic devices were seized.
Speaking to the media afterward, Sibiya said the operation formed part of a broader effort to force him out of the police service, claiming his rights were being violated.
“I’ve been expecting it for a year. Remember General Mkhwanazi said yesterday that my arrest was imminent, so I expect it anytime,” Sibiya said, alleging that the move was meant to “disrupt” him and prevent him from mounting a proper defense.
The suspended general has been named at both the Madlanga Commission and Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating claims — initially made by KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi — that criminal cartels and syndicates have infiltrated the country’s justice system and political structures.
Sibiya denied wrongdoing, describing the developments as part of a purge against him.
“I’m under siege. I’m being called a criminal in front of all South Africans. Ultimately, I will be charged. I expect to be pushed out — that’s what this is all about,” he said.
He also claimed that a KwaZulu-Natal faction within SAPS was behind the allegations, asserting that his persecution was politically motivated.
“They are all from KZN… This is how one province decides to behave, and the whole country allows it,” he stated.
Sibiya further accused Mkhwanazi of having a personal vendetta against him, saying the provincial commissioner repeatedly referred to him during testimony before the two ongoing inquiries.
The suspended general went on to allege that his life was in danger, suggesting that SAPS might attempt to kill him during a future arrest.
“If they come to arrest me, I must be allowed to hand myself over. Let them not come at three o’clock in the morning so that someone can shoot me and claim I was reaching for a gun,” he said.
His lawyer, Advocate Kameel Premhid, echoed those fears, warning that “the general’s life is in danger” and that authorities should ensure his safety.