Sibiya Defends PKTT Disbandment as MK Party Faces Scrutiny at Madlanga Commission
As corruption allegations swirl at the Madlanga Commission, former police official Sibiya has defended the controversial directive to disband the PKTT unit, claiming Police Commissioner Masemola knew the elite team was never meant to be permanent.
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The Madlanga Commission hearings have exposed deepening fractures within South Africa's law enforcement apparatus, with former senior police official Sibiya mounting a vigorous defence against corruption allegations while simultaneously justifying the controversial disbandment of the Presidential Protection Task Team (PKTT).
Sibiya, who finds himself at the centre of corruption allegations made at the commission, has redirected scrutiny toward the MK Party, suggesting political interference may have undermined institutional integrity within the South African Police Service. His testimony comes at a moment when public confidence in law enforcement institutions remains fragile, and questions about political influence over policing operations have intensified following the disbandment of specialized units.
The PKTT Disbandment Controversy
According to Sibiya's testimony reported by The Citizen, the directive to dissolve the PKTT should not have caught anyone off guard. He revealed that during a meeting held on 1 November 2024, Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola agreed with Police Minister Senzo Mchunu that the PKTT "was not meant to exist forever." This assertion directly challenges narratives that portrayed the unit's disbandment as sudden or politically motivated.
The PKTT, established to provide enhanced security for high-ranking government officials, had become a focal point of controversy in recent years. Critics argued the unit operated with insufficient oversight, while supporters maintained it provided essential protection capabilities that standard police structures could not replicate. Sibiya's revelation that senior police leadership anticipated its dissolution months before the actual directive suggests the decision followed internal deliberations rather than external political pressure alone.
"The directive to disband the PKTT was not surprising," Sibiya stated, according to The Citizen's reporting. His characterization of Masemola's foreknowledge raises questions about why the commissioner did not prepare the service more effectively for the transition, or communicate the impending change to officers who would be affected.
MK Party Allegations and Institutional Corruption
While defending his own record, Sibiya has pointed an accusatory finger at the MK Party during his appearance at the Madlanga Commission. SABC News reported that Sibiya is himself at the centre of corruption allegations made at the commission, creating a complex picture where both accuser and accused occupy the same institutional space.
The nature of Sibiya's allegations against the MK Party remains significant given the party's growing political influence and its vocal criticism of existing law enforcement structures. The commission's proceedings have become a battleground where competing factions within South African politics seek to establish their version of institutional truth, with implications that extend far beyond individual careers.
The Madlanga Commission was established to investigate allegations of corruption and malfeasance within state institutions, but its hearings have increasingly revealed the extent to which political rivalries have penetrated operational policing. When senior officials testify against political parties while simultaneously defending controversial decisions, the boundary between legitimate law enforcement and political contestation becomes dangerously blurred.
Implications for Police Independence
The convergence of the PKTT disbandment narrative with corruption allegations at the Madlanga Commission illuminates a broader crisis facing South African law enforcement: the struggle to maintain operational independence while navigating intensely political terrain. When specialized units can be dissolved following meetings between commissioners and ministers, and when senior officials trade allegations with political parties, the institutional autonomy necessary for effective policing erodes.
The revelation that Masemola knew months in advance about the PKTT's planned dissolution, yet the directive still generated significant controversy when announced, points to communication failures within police leadership. Officers serving in specialized units deserve clarity about their institutional future, particularly when their roles involve high-risk security operations.
For ordinary South Africans watching these proceedings unfold, the spectacle of senior officials defending themselves while accusing others does little to restore confidence in institutions meant to serve public safety rather than political interests. The Madlanga Commission was intended to strengthen accountability, but its hearings risk becoming another arena where political scores are settled rather than institutional integrity restored.
As the commission continues its work, the testimony from Sibiya and others will either contribute to genuine reform or simply document the depth of dysfunction within law enforcement structures. The answer will depend on whether political leaders prioritize institutional rebuilding over partisan advantage, and whether police leadership can reclaim the independence necessary to serve all South Africans rather than competing political factions.