The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry concluded a dramatic week of testimony on Friday, with allegations of tender corruption, extortion rackets and assassination attempts dominating proceedings.

The week saw alleged underworld figure Cat Matlala face intense questioning about his business dealings, former Hawks boss Godfrey Lebeya deny allegations of interference, and taxi boss Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni detail the violent underbelly of the taxi industry.

Matlala grilled over corruption links and business deals

Legal drama marked Monday’s proceedings when Matlala returned to the witness stand but his lead counsel, Annelene van den Heever, was absent due to illness. Junior counsel Fatima Missi requested a postponement until Tuesday to file a replying affidavit and heads of argument, but commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga refused the request despite threats from Matlala’s legal team to approach the courts.

Despite the procedural conflict, Matlala proceeded to testify about questions posed to him by Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya concerning his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of Mamelodi businessman Jerry Boshoga.

On Tuesday, the commission examined evidence regarding Special Investigating Unit tribunal orders and freezing orders related to various respondents, as legal arguments continued around evidentiary documents.

The commission on Wednesday confronted Matlala with WhatsApp messages linking him to businessman Hangwani Maumela and late taxi boss Jothan Msibi. Evidence included a R3 million proof of payment Matlala had sent to Msibi, which carried the reference “M Maumela” and originated from Agrippa Khoza. When questioned, Matlala claimed not to recall the significance of the payment, a response commissioner Sesi Baloyi described as unbelievable.

Matlala detailed his business relationship with Maumela, explaining they began collaborating on requests for quotations for medical equipment between 2018 and 2023. He said they pooled financial resources to fulfill contracts and shared approximately 10% of the profits.

The alleged underworld figure declined to identify individuals he claimed paid money to suspended deputy police commissioner Sibiya, suggesting suspended sergeant Fannie Nkosi acted as a middleman in cash collections. Matlala insisted he did not personally provide money to Sibiya, distancing himself from allegations he bankrolled the officer following his company’s acquisition of a R228 million South African Police Service tender.

Matlala refused to answer questions about his relationship with former KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head general Lesetja Senona, citing that the matter was currently under investigation.

Former Hawks boss denies interference allegations

Retired lieutenant-general Godfrey Lebeya, former national head of the Hawks, took the stand on Thursday. He addressed allegations that he sent Hawks members to interfere with the 6 December 2024 arrest of murder-accused businessman Katiso “KT” Molefe in Sandhurst.

Lebeya’s attorney, Eric Nwedo, placed on record that his client was appearing at his own expense after the South African Police Service refused his application for state-funded legal representation on 6 January. Lebeya challenged the refusal, noting that the decision-maker, deputy national commissioner Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili, had previously served under him.

Lebeya denied the interference allegation, stating: “I do not know Mr Katiso Molefe. I was not contacted by Mr Katiso Molefe; I was contacted by Malcolm X.” He said he instructed two senior managers to verify reports that individuals were impersonating the Hawks in his name and maintained he never instructed personnel to interrupt legitimate police operations.

Lebeya admitted there had been no investigations into the 2021 theft of a multimillion-rand drug consignment from the Hawks office in Port Shepstone, which occurred under the leadership of Senona.

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Taxi boss reveals extortion racket and assassination attempts

Friday saw Mpumalanga taxi boss Sibanyoni provide explosive testimony about his transport empire, which operates approximately 400 minibus taxis. He faced scrutiny over allegations he forced a mining executive to pay more than R2,2 million in protection fees.

Sibanyoni discussed the use of “bucket money” by taxi associations to pay hitmen and detailed his survival of two assassination attempts, including an ambush by Matlala in 2022. Evidence presented to the commission suggested Sibanyoni received confidential police intelligence and has links to underworld syndicates and taxi-industry violence.

The commission is scheduled to submit its final report on 16 November.

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