Robert McBride Backs Sibiya’s Credibility, Questions Integrity Of Mkhwanazi, Phahlane And Nkabinde

Former Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) head Robert McBride has publicly thrown his support behind suspended deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya, while casting serious doubt on the credibility of several senior police figures.

Appearing before Parliament’s ad hoc committee probing allegations of corruption within the criminal justice system on Wednesday, McBride said he regarded KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, former acting national police commissioner Lt-Gen Khomotso Phahlane and police ministry chief of staff Cedrick Nkabinde as lacking integrity.

Robert McBride Quizzed on Credibility of Top Officers

McBride’s testimony came as he faces claims that he colluded with private forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan to pursue senior SAPS officials. During cross-examination, MK Party MP Vusi Shongwe pressed McBride on whether he trusted certain high-ranking officers.

Shongwe: Do you trust Sibiya?
McBride: In what sense?
Shongwe: Is he a credible officer?
McBride: From what I know, he is.

When asked about other senior figures, McBride was far less charitable.

Shongwe: Mkhwanazi?
McBride: From what I know, he has interfered in Ipid investigations. Perhaps in certain aspects he is, but generally, he is not credible.

Shongwe: Nkabinde?
McBride: The whole world can see Nkabinde … even the committee sent him home to fix his evidence statement. He is certainly not credible.

Shongwe: Phahlane?
McBride: Absolutely not.

Claims of Interference and Corruption Investigations

McBride accused Mkhwanazi of directly meddling in Ipid investigations while stationed in the SAPS human resources division. He said Mkhwanazi played what he described as an “undue and prosecutorial role” in efforts to derail probes into Phahlane.

“He is in HR, yet he is involving himself in investigations,” McBride said.

“He put pressure on Ipid investigator Mandla Mahlangu not to get involved in an investigation, despite that being Mandla’s job. In my opinion, those are voluntary actions that directly affect the integrity of investigations and constitute defeating the ends of justice.”

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Turning to Phahlane, who has previously accused McBride of orchestrating a campaign to block his permanent appointment, McBride defended the establishment of the so-called “Phahlane task team”. He said it was created solely to investigate legitimate complaints of alleged systemic corruption.

Asked by DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach whether Phahlane had used his office to fight crime or to enrich himself, McBride replied: “I didn’t see any evidence of him being committed to fighting crime or making an impact. In my opinion, he was mainly interested in tenders.”

McBride added that he believed he would have done a better job as national police commissioner than Phahlane.

Sibiya ‘Framed’ in Zimbabwe Rendition Case, Says Robert McBride

McBride also rejected claims made by Nkabinde, who previously told the committee that he was suspended in 2018 shortly after submitting a whistleblower report to McBride. Nkabinde alleged he was pressured into resigning in exchange for disciplinary charges being dropped.

McBride dismissed the allegations as “lies”.

“The first lie was that I suspended him,” McBride said. “That is not true. Nkabinde was suspended by his supervisor in KwaZulu-Natal. His suspension had nothing to do with me.”

He went on to defend Sibiya, insisting the former Hawks boss had been “framed” in the controversial 2010 Zimbabwean rendition matter.

“It is clear there was connivance between the minister’s office and the prosecuting authority,” McBride said.

“My view is that the decision was to get rid of [Anwa] Dramat, and Sibiya was caught in the middle because someone had a bone to pick with him. We were the ones who refused to recommend prosecution.”

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