Suspended Major-General Richard Shibiri testifies at Madlanga Commission Of Inquiry at Brigette Mabandla Judicial College in Pretoria on March 4, 2026. (Photo: Gallo Images / Frennie Shivambu) On Wednesday, 4 March, SAPS organised crime head Major-General Richard Shibiri appeared before the Madlanga Commission to answer allegations that he accepted an R80,000 “gift” from controversial businessman and organised crime accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala – and that he meddled in a murder investigation.
Matlala, who faces attempted murder charges and previously received a R360-million police tender, is a central figure in the Madlanga Commission probe into alleged political interference and corruption within the criminal justice system, owing to his reported links to senior police officials, including sidelined police minister Senzo Mchunu.
Shibiri, who was not cross-examined on Wednesday and was allowed to explain his 81-page statement, admitted to receiving R80,000 from Matlala, but said it was a loan that he repaid.
Shibiri was suspended in February 2025, along with several police officials.
‘Personal misfortune’
Shibiri’s timeline attempted to frame the R80,000 transaction as a chain of personal misfortune rather than impropriety. He traced it back to 6 September 2024, when his son was involved in a car accident and the insurance claim was repudiated, placing him under unexpected financial strain.
Then, on 14 September 2024, Shibiri attended an engagement party for now-suspended deputy national commissioner Shadrack Sibiya’s son at Sibiya’s Centurion residence, where Matlala and other top cops were present. (Sibiya has admitted to knowning Matlala, but denied any impropriety.)
It was there, Shibiri told the commission, that he again met Matlala, whom he believed he had last seen in 2023.
What began as a casual conversation about his financial predicament led to Matlala offering financial assistance to Shibiri if he could not raise the funds in time.
/file/attachments/orphans/ED_598806_503546.jpg "Suspended Major General Richard Shibiri testifies at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry at Brigette Mabandla Judicial College in Pretoria on 4 March 2026. (Photo: Gallo Images / Frennie Shivambu)")
Four days later, on 18 September 2024, Matlala allegedly followed up and agreed to advance a personal loan, depositing the money directly into Shibiri’s son’s bank account. Shibiri maintains he never provided his own banking details and that repayment terms were set for December 2024, when he expected his annual bonus.
To settle the debt, Shibiri said that in November 2024, he sold two cattle at his homestead and paid R20,000 in cash to Matlala. At the end of December, he transferred a further R50,000 from his Absa account into an account number provided by Matlala.
When Shibiri is cross-examined on Friday, when the commission resumes, he’ll probably be asked about the grey areas regarding the loan, including his previous relationship with Matlala and the repayment structure – part cash from livestock sales, part electronic transfer.
Shibiri insisted his relationship with Matlala was strictly professional, denying that any sensitive SAPS information was shared or that the association compromised investigations.
While he gave Matlala “personal advice”, he said, “I saw nothing improper providing general advice. I did not represent in any official legal capacity nor intervened in any investigation or process on his behalf.”
/file/attachments/orphans/ED_597796_631802.jpg "Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala appeared at the Johannesburg High Court on 26 February 2026, on charges of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and money laundering. (Photo: Gallo Images / Luba Lesolle)")
‘Three envelopes’
Police investigators have also told the commission that Shibiri allegedly tried to tempt them with three envelopes containing bribes to influence the investigations into the murder of engineer Armand Swart, who was killed in Vereeniging on 17 April 2024, allegedly over a Transnet contract. Another organised crime accused, Katiso Molefe, has been charged with orchestrating the murder.
Warrant officer Paul Tau, along with Musa Kekana and Tiego Mabusela, have been charged with carrying out the hit.
Shibiri allegedly told investigators that “three envelopes” were available — one for the magistrate, one for the prosecutor and one for the investigators – purportedly bribes to ensure that Tau secured bail.
Shibiri flatly denied this version. He insisted he did not convene the 16 May 2024 meeting at his Pretoria office to distribute money, suggest bribes or encourage corrupt conduct.
In his telling, the reference to money did not originate as an offer, but as intelligence. He claimed information from a source indicated that a bag full of cash had been given to an attorney with the intent of bribing investigators; failing that, attempts would be made to bribe prosecutors or even the magistrate, and that he was merely informing the officers of the situation.
The commission resumes on Friday, 6 March. DM