Johannesburg - Hawks Gauteng boss Major-General Shadrack Sibiya, at the centre of an illegal Zimbabwean renditions storm, has allegedly been shot at and his car overturned.
Several sources told The Star that Sibiya’s car was shot at in the early hours of Monday and overturned.
Sibiya’s friend, Lt Colonel Leslie “Cowboy” Maluleke, said he was aware that Sibiya was involved in an accident, but did not know anything about the shooting. “He was with his advocate Victor Nkwashu when the accident occurred. Sibiya is recovering at home,” Maluleke said.
Joburg Metro Police Department spokesman Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said he could not find any records of the accident.
“I’ve checked. There is nothing. There was another query earlier this week,” Minnaar said.
According to an SAPS internal memo sent to several members, the BMW that Sibiya was driving aquaplaned and rolled a number of times. He sustained injuries to his ribs and the abdominal area.
Sibiya was treated at Sandton Medi-Clinic. Nkwashu was also treated for whiplash and discharged, according to the memo.
However, when The Star contacted Nkwashu for comment, he denied being involved in an accident.
“Attempts to reach advocate Nkwashu on his cellphone have proved futile.
“The secretary of General Sibiya was contacted to provide clarity on the incident. She indicated Mrs Sibiya had informed her of the circumstances,” read the memo.
A source who did not want to be named said: “We heard there was a shooting. They are saying his vehicle aquaplaned and overturned, but it was not raining on Monday. Where was that pool of water? This is very sinister. Sibiya is a very senior police officer, but he does not know he must report the accident to the metro police. Or if there was a shooting, he needs to open a case.”
Gauteng police’s provincial spokesman Lieutenant Kay Makhubela said he did not know anything about the shooting or the accident.
“When there is a case, you must report it and if you have been shot at, you must open a case. I don’t know if there was a shooting or if he was involved in an accident. If this is true, I don’t know why he did not report it,” Makhubela said.
Another source, who did not want to be named, said he suspected Sibiya wanted to make it look like he was being targeted. Sibiya spent a night in hospital and was discharged the following day.
He is reportedly recovering at home after he was involved in a car accident.
Sibiya was suspended pending an investigation into his alleged role in the illegal rendition of Zimbabweans in 2010, but Judge Elias Matojane ruled that his suspension was unconstitutional, invalid and unlawful.
Major-General Mthandazo Ntlemeza then approached the high court in Pretoria to challenge the suspension’s overturning.
The Star