Shadrack Sibiya Reveals How AKA Murder Arrests Strained His Relationship With Mkhwanazi

Suspended Deputy Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya has lifted the lid on what he says led to the breakdown of his working relationship with KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

Testifying before Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating corruption in the South African Police Service (SAPS) on Monday, Sibiya said the rift began shortly after the arrests of suspects linked to the murder of rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes in Durban.

“That is where the difference between myself and Mkhwanazi came in. And it was not meant to be a big issue,” Sibiya told the committee.

Minister’s Briefing Sparks Major Fallout

Sibiya explained that during a covert operation in Cape Town, then-Police Minister Bheki Cele requested a briefing from him regarding the high-profile arrests.

When Cele asked for direct updates from the investigating team, Sibiya said he reached out to the Deputy Provincial Commissioner in KZN instead of Mkhwanazi, citing challenges in contacting him during previous meetings.

“I had confidence in our relationship,” said Sibiya. “But when I finally spoke to the Provincial Commissioner, he was furious.”

According to Sibiya, Mkhwanazi accused him of undermining his authority and breaching protocol. The confrontation allegedly ended with Mkhwanazi banning Sibiya from conducting operations in KZN.

“He told me, ‘We’ve got nothing to do with KZN from now on.’ I was banned from operating there, yet I’m a national head,” Sibiya testified.

‘KZN Is Suffering,’ Says Shadrack Sibiya

Sibiya told Parliament that his suspension has crippled key national policing operations in the province, including investigations into cash-in-transit heists, drug trafficking, contract killings, and the torching of trucks.

“KZN is suffering. Projects from head office are stalling because there’s no cooperation,” he said, stressing that the fallout was not personal but driven by misunderstandings and power struggles within the police hierarchy.

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He added that mending relations with provincial leadership is crucial to restoring effective crime-fighting operations in KZN.

Meanwhile, Mkhwanazi has accused Sibiya of corruption and of being behind the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).

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