Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo, head of Crime Intelligence, made a dramatic return to the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday, presenting new evidence he says exposes criminal links within the highest levels of law enforcement.
Khumalo’s reappearance follows a month-long absence due to illness after he fell ill during his last testimony in early October. His evidence forms part of the inquiry’s investigation into criminal infiltration, political interference, and corruption within South Africa’s justice system.
New evidence: Toyota Hilux identified
In his latest testimony, Khumalo revealed that investigators had identified one of the vehicles seen at suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya’s residence on the day of a police raid.
The Toyota Hilux, previously unaccounted for, was found to belong to a man identified as Sharnick Stuart James, who, according to Khumalo, has 34 cases against him and was found guilty of 18. Most of the cases were committed in KwaZulu-Natal and only one from the North West Province.
Khumalo presented both video footage and still images showing the Hilux and its alleged owner, telling the commission that this individual’s background and presence raised serious questions about who had access to Sibiya’s property.
“The vehicle and the driver were not initially identified, but upon investigation, the man was found to have a record of 18 guilty crimes, mostly in KwaZulu-Natal,” Khumalo testified.
He added that the same man, James, had been spotted inside Parliament, seated directly behind General Sibiya during his earlier testimony, suggesting a close association between the two.
“This man’s presence in such a sensitive space — and his proximity to General Sibiya — requires further investigation,” Khumalo said.
The revelation drew murmurs in the hearing room, with commissioners noting that the alleged link between Sibiya and a known repeat offender could have major implications for the ongoing inquiry into criminal infiltration within the police service.
The Commission continues.