Masemola reveals deputy Sibiya probed for alleged criminal syndicate links

Loading player...
It’s been day four of the Madlanga Commission with our second witness on the stand: national police commissioner Fannie Masemola, who’s since insisted that the decision to disband the contentious Political Killings Task Team was “unlawful”. That’s not all: Masemola told the commission in Pretoria on Monday that he received a tip-off alleging that his deputy, Shadrack Sibiya, may be linked to Gauteng’s criminal syndicates, in particular now-incarcerated tender don Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala, who had been taking liberties with his alleged illegal connections to the police. Specialist legal journalist Karyn Maughan joins The Lead’s host, broadcast journalist Graeme Raubenheimer, to break down all the juiciest bits from the day’s events. Later in the show, some Mpumalanga schools are forced to make thousands of costly photocopies of old textbooks to teach pupils. And finally, we remember Thabo Mbeki’s booting from office with “On This Day in SA History” courtesy SA History Online. You can send host Graeme Raubenheimer a voice note with your questions or thoughts on this live to 072 562 3179. Mail your comments to: thelead@24.com. Full editions drop Monday through Thursday at 19:00 on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.
Chapters
  • 00:01 Graeme's intro
  • 01:58 Crossing to Karyn Maughan
  • 23:35 Trending topic: MP schools with no textbooks
  • 24:49 AD: News24's Driving with J9
  • 25:47 On This Day in SA History
22 Sep 2025 English South Africa News · Society & Culture

Other recent episodes

‘Cat’ Matlala tried to open an ultra-lux OR Tambo airport terminal

When the “Cat” wasn’t sneaking his way into the heart of police operations, the controversial tender don was also trying to build a private international airport terminal with Nedbank’s financing help. Investigative journalist Jeff Wicks details yet another failed venture by Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala. Later, in our trending topic, a…
15 Jan 18 min

Is the ‘prime lending rate’ just a load of BS?

Is the so-called “prime lending rate” – the fancifully advertised rate that banks use as a reference or pegging point to sell bonds and loans to us – just a giant load of untested BS? Why is it 350 basis points more than our much-deserved low repo rate, and isn’t…
14 Jan 25 min

Everything you need to know about the 2025 matric results

Back to school, back to reality… With schools about to reopen, senior education journalist Prega Govender takes stock of the 2025 matric results. Think of it like a scale: on one end, a greater average pass rate, while on the other, fewer pupils are taking critical subjects like standard maths…
13 Jan 32 min

Is KZN’s paper-thin coalition on the rocks?

Provincial coalition politics in KwaZulu-Natal are on shaky, uncertain ground, with the small kingmaker National Freedom Party trying to call the shots, threatening to pull out of the IFP, ANC, and DA government of provincial unity, leaving the MKP rubbing its hands. Our man in Durban, Soyiso Maliti, reports the…
12 Jan 25 min

Should SA get involved in the US-Venezuela crisis?

While the SACP marched on the US Embassy in Pretoria on Thursday to denounce the Trump administration’s abduction of another sitting head of state, the political parties that make up the current government of national unity (GNU) failed to see eye-to-eye on how best to react to the US-Venezuela crisis…
8 Jan 29 min