In July 2025, Sibiya was placed on special leave (later described as suspension) by the National Police Commissioner,
Fannie Masemola, after allegations emerged that he had interfered with the handling of a set of politically sensitive dockets held by the
:Political Killings Task Team, a police unit established to probe political assassinations, and that Sibiya had sought to redirect the case dockets of the team to his office. Sibiya challenged aspects of his suspension in court, but in September 2025 a
Pretoria High Court application to return to work was dismissed, with the court declining to overturn the decision placing him on leave while investigations continued. Sibiya became a focus of public controversy after
KwaZulu-Natal police head Lieutenant-General
Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and others made explosive public allegations about the disbandment by Sibiya and Police Minister
Senzo Mchunu without knowledge of the National Commissioner and Mkhwanazi publicly accused senior figures like Sibiya, Mchunu and others of obstructing or undermining investigations; his allegations implicated an array of senior officials and prompted executive, parliamentary and prosecutorial responses. Sibiya denied claims that he was a “rogue” officer and rejected suggestions that he colluded with criminals or unlawfully redirected dockets when he appeared to testify before the Ad Hoc Parliamentary Committee in October 2025 about his role and decisions in the disbandment. He denied friendships or improper relationships with named criminal suspects while admitting that he knew some individuals within the policing environment. The parliamentary committee has kept the matter under scrutiny and called for further investigation and evidence from affected parties. In October 2025, law-enforcement units—including the National Intervention Unit, the Special Task Force, and sections of Crime Intelligence - executed a raid on Sibiya's house in
Centurion and seized electronic devices to be forensically analyzed as part of ongoing investigations into Sibiya. Meanwhile, he described the raid as a politically motivated attack on him and said it formed part of intimidation attempts to target him ahead of his parliamentary testimony. Sibiya was linked to a number of sensitive investigations—including those into politically motivated killings and the high-profile murder of public figures like
Senzo Meyiwa—because of his senior investigative police role with the detective units under his oversight. Sibiya's situation has contributed to political turbulence in South Africa's security sector. The allegations against him and other senior officials prompted calls for independent inquiries; they were one factor in President
Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to place Mchunu on special leave and establish the
Madlanga Commission to probe claims of collusion between state officials and organized crime and to suspend senior political figures pending probe outcomes. Opposition parties and civic organizations have demanded transparency and swift action to restore public confidence in policing institutions. Sibiya has been involved in civil litigation with the SAPS concerning the lawfulness of his suspension and administrative steps taken against him. Several investigations—internal disciplinary, criminal, and parliamentary—have continued to run in parallel, and further court processes are expected as evidence is reviewed and prosecution decisions are considered. He has claimed that tension between him and Mkhwanazi are about the post of National Commissioner to be filled. In February 2025,
Witness F told the Madlanga commission that Sibiya used him as a courier to collect cash from
Katiso Molefe and
Vusimuzi Matlala. Matlala has allegedly gifted 20 impalas to the suspended Deputy Police Commissioner. == References ==