Nkosi rejects Sibiya’s denial: ‘There’s no way he doesn’t know Mthakathi’

2026-03-18 - 12:31

Sergeant Fannie Nkosi told the Madlanga commission on Wednesday that “there is no way” suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya does not know the businessman saved as ‘Mthakathi Mswazi’ in Nkosi’s phone. When he appeared at the commission, Sibiya denied knowing Mswazi. He was shown WhatsApp messages between him and Nkosi on 21 April 2024, in which the Sergeant informed the General that he was going to meet with Mthakathi. “Indeed, good day, General. I have a meeting with Mthakathi and others in regards to Mama issue,” said Nkosi. Sibiya responded: “But I also want to meet them urgently. I am sitting inside the airplane to Brazil and coming back on Friday. Please arrange the meeting.” Sibiya denied knowing Mthakathi despite this meeting request. “When I said that...I thought he was talking about Steve. I was under the impression that it was the same person. So, I was wrong,” said Sibiya at the time. ALSO READ: Madlanga commission: Sergeant Nkosi explains his claim that Sibiya ‘likes’ Mkhwanazi However, on Wednesday, Nkosi said Sibiya knew Mthakathi. “General Sibiya knew who Mthakathi was and wanted to meet him. There is a possibility that Sibiya met Mthakathi at the farm [late Jothan Msibi’s],” said Nkosi. “Sibiya has been around for a long time. I’m not painting him in a bad light, but there is no way he did not know him. But he will be in a better position to explain this, but according to me, he knows him.” Armand Swart murder On Wednesday, the commission continued reviewing Nkosi’s WhatsApp messages. They found more than 30 calls between Nkosi and Warrant Officer Zungu on 17 April 2024 – the day Armand Swart was murdered. 30-year-old Swart, an employee at Q Tech Engineering Company based in Vereeniging, was shot and killed while seated in his vehicle outside his workplace by two suspects who were driving a white Hyundai i20. He sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was declared dead on the scene. It was reported that the suspects orchestrated the assassination in order to silence him after he blew the whistle about fraud and corruption linked to a Transnet tender contract. However, some reports say it was a case of mistaken identity. Four men – Sandton businessman Katiso “KT” Molefe, former police detective Michael Pule Tau, Musa Kekana, and Tiego Floyd Mabusela – have been arrested in connection with the case. Nkosi the middleman... again? On the day of Swart’s murder, Nkosi and Zungu exchanged more than 30 calls. He said he was in his office when Zungu called and told him he was on his way to Joburg from Pretoria, to the Swart murder scene in Vereeniging. “It was alleged that the people who committed the murder are known to Mthakathi. I called Mthakathi and informed him that I heard that there are people that you know who have committed murder in Vereeniging,” said Nkosi. “Mthakathi said to me, ‘Who are those people?’ I went back to Zungu, that’s why you see those many calls between us.” ALSO READ: Sergeant Nkosi contradicts Sibiya’s testimony, says claims are ‘false’ It appears Nkosi played yet another middleman role between Zungu and Mthakathi. Nkosi continued: “I called back Mthakathi and told him it’s people [suspects] from Atteridgeville, but who are close to you. Mthakathi said, ‘Let me check all the people I know. I heard that Danny [Mabusela] has been arrested. Can you confirm that it was indeed Danny? “I said I was not at the scene and told him Zungu was at the scene, and he was the one who shared that information with me. Later, Mthakathi sent me Danny Mabusela’s ID number to confirm if he was the suspect. I said I did not know and did not even confirm.” ‘I did not share information’ However, evidence leader Mathew Chaskalson again accused Nkosi of sharing police information with an outsider. “I did not give Mthakathi information; it was an exchange of information between me and Mthakathi. Zungu called me, and I called Mthakathi. Mthakathi asked me to verify if it’s Danny who has been arrested and sent me his ID number,” said Nkosi. He said he later sent Zungu’s contact information to Mthakathi so they could communicate directly. According to Nkosi, Mthakathi was a friend and business associate of Msibi. Mthakathi is in the taxi and security industries. “I took him as an uncle because he was Msibi’s friend. They were people who were close to Msibi.” READ NEXT: Sibiya denies Witness F and Matlala’s testimonies about impalas