Phalatse claims 'concerted effort' to frustrate corruption-busting unit in Joburg
Former Johannesburg mayor Mpho Phalatse has defended the appointment of former Gauteng Hawks boss Shadrack Sibiya as head of the city’s Anti-Corruption Unit.
DA councillor Phalatse, who was ousted during a motion of no confidence earlier this year, has been accused of making an irregular appointment by Joburg Speaker Colleen Makhubele.
Makhubele has authorised an investigation into Sibiya’s appointment, saying Phalatse failed to report it to the council and the Hawks.
There are also complaints laid by officials, who were at the centre of what has been described as the unit’s rogue and clandestine investigations.
Makhubele claims the complaints were suppressed "to protect certain persons who were behind these questionable investigations”.
Sibiya was fired as the Hawks’ Gauteng head in 2015 following a disciplinary inquiry into his alleged role into the so-called Zimbabwe rendition case.
However, in 2020, the Labour Court found his dismissal was procedurally and substantially unfair.
Phalatse says the speaker does not need to seek legal advice as she was not involved.
"There has been a concerted effort to fight the group forensic investigations of the units of the city. There has been an effort to oust General Shadrack Sibiya, who ended up resigning and going back to the SAPS.
"We saw, after his resignation, the person who served as his right-hand person has since been suspended in a very questionable suspension with very questionable allegations. So, you can really see that there is a concerted effort to fight the corruption-busting efforts of the group forensic investigating service units, which can only lead us to believe that those fighting this actually want to loot from the city."
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