Serving police officers were on standby to escort Mpumalanga taxi boss Oupa “Bafana” Sindane. At least one of them appears to have asked him for money.
This emerged at the Madlanga Commission on Monday. Evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson took the commission through WhatsApp chats taken from Sindane’s phone.
Sindane is an associate of taxi tycoon Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni.
He is also Sibanyoni’s co-accused in a multimillion-rand extortion case.
He was not in the witness box. The commission dismissed his bid to postpone his appearance over the weekend. He has gone to the high court to challenge the commission’s access to his phone records.
One contact is saved in Sindane’s phone as “Lepara SAPS Highway”.
Chaskalson said this officer was “essentially at the disposal of Mr Sindane to offer him escorts”.
On 17 July, the officer wrote: “Morning, my brother. We are on duty in case you need us.”
On 2 August: “My brother, we are here on the street. Let us know if you need anything.”
Another message reads: “My brother, hope you are good. We are on the street. Let us know when you need an escort.”
On 19 September, Sindane sent the officer an entry code to a Centurion estate. Chaskalson said Sibanyoni lives there.
The chats show a pickup arranged on 9 November 2024.
Sindane told the officer to come at 11am. At 10:45am the officer wrote: “We are here, my brother.” Sindane replied with a thumbs-up.
“The chats suggest that Mr Sindane is able to call on SAPS members to provide escorts,” Chaskalson said.
A second contact, saved also escorted Sindane.
In one exchange, Sindane told this contact: “You must lead.” Twelve minutes later, the officer reported that they had arrived safely.
Chaskalson said this officer was “essentially soliciting payment for his services”.
In one chat, the officer wrote: “Just to pay and clear.”
Sindane replied: “Done, Baholo.”
“Thanks, Baruti,” the officer answered.
In another, the officer wrote: “Good day, Baruti. I am still stuck, but I have managed to organise R1,500. I am short by R1,500. I am very sorry for yesterday’s conversation.”
A third officer who is a Sergeant, arranged to meet Sindane at a restaurant near Mall of Africa in Midrand. Sindane and Sibanyoni sent him entry codes to the Centurion estate.
The commission linked another chat thread to the private cellphone number of General Mukangwe. According to his SAP 96 form, he was Mpumalanga’s deputy provincial commissioner for crime detection.
Before his farewell function on 28 March 2025, the general wrote to Sindane:
“Good evening, sir. My office is organising my farewell on 28 March 2025, and they have requested me to assist them in requesting donations from people I know. And I know you. Would you please assist?”
He then sent a bank account number.
Chaskalson said the two men stayed in touch on police matters after the general retired.
In one message, the general wrote: “Morning, Fumbi. I have arranged with Brigadier Dlamini and the Flying Squad. We will be busy with the game today, but we will try to send out some.”
A later message said: “The above is received and noted. The leadership is ready to welcome them tomorrow.”
The commission also heard that internal SAPS reports reached Sindane.
One was a detailed internal report on the shooting at Solo restaurant on Fredman Drive in Sandton. Sindane shared it with a man identified as Mr Moyana.
Another was an internal report on the murder of Sergeant MM Lekalakala in Mabopane, near the PUTCO bus depot.
Chaskalson said the report came with details of who was leading the investigation. Those details did not appear in the report itself.
“So it seems that someone inside SAPS is feeding Mr Sindane an internal report. Not just the internal report, but also details of who is in charge of the investigation into this murder,” he said.
He said a SAPS officer had told the commission informally that such messages are not shared with community policing forums. He said the commission would get this on record from SAPS leadership.
Sibanyoni obtained a letter purportedly signed by National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola. It was addressed to all divisional and provincial commissioners and appointed an acting head of Crime Intelligence.
Sindane read it as confirming the suspension of General Shadrack Sibiya. He forwarded it to Moyana with the words: “I told you, my brother.”
Chaskalson said the commission would still test whether the letter was genuine. But both men “assumed it was a legitimate internal SAPS communication to which they had acquired access and to which they should not have acquired access”, he said.
Moyana also sent Sindane a sworn statement by Chris Steyn of Ekurhuleni Metro Police fleet management.
In it, Steyn stated that the EMPD had never fitted blue lights to vehicles linked to Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s security company.
The statement was signed on 25 September. Within two days it was on Sindane’s phone.
The chair asked the commission’s team to prepare a list of the officers’ full names, with page references to their SAP 96 forms.
The hearing resumes on Tuesday at 9.30am.
