‘I’m under siege’: Sibiya says his life is in danger, vows not to resign despite colleagues’ ‘betrayal’
Mapaballo Borotho
- Deputy Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya claims his life is in danger following a raid at his Centurion home.
- He accused top SAPS officials, including his boss Fannie Masemola, of betrayal and attempting to force him out.
- Despite corruption allegations, Sibiya vows not to resign and says he will clear his name before Parliament and the Madlanga Commission.
Deputy Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya says his life is in danger but insists he will not resign from the South African Police Service (SAPS), despite what he calls betrayal from colleagues amid mounting corruption allegations.
Sibiya was speaking moments after a search and seizure operation was conducted at his Centurion home on Thursday. He is accused of defeating the ends of justice by allegedly removing the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team’s dockets from their desk.
Addressing the media at his doorstep, Sibiya described the raid as a ploy to push him out of SAPS, claiming heavily armed officers entered his home with a four-page search warrant linked to allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Mkhwanazi recently told a parliamentary inquiry that Sibiya authored the directive issued by the suspended Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu, to disband the KZN Political Task Team.
He further alleged that Sibiya instructed the Deputy Minister of Police to manage and remove his superior, National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola, for being uncooperative.
A visibly distraught Sibiya said he is expecting to be arrested soon, but is prepared to tell his truth before the Madlanga Commission and Parliament’s Committee.
“I know they want to push me out. I will never resign; they must fire me,” he said.
Sibiya further claimed his life is in danger following what he described as betrayal from within SAPS, including from Masemola.
He pointed out areas around his Centurion home where suspicious vehicles have allegedly been parked for surveillance.
“The whole exercise is just meant to confuse me and keep me under pressure. I am under siege here; my life and that of my family are in danger. Their cars come here with false registration numbers. Now, with the media here, my home has been exposed,” Sibiya said.
He maintains that the allegations and raids are part of a broader campaign to discredit and intimidate him, but vowed to continue serving the police service despite the risks.