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Gauteng Hawks boss to be fired over Zim renditions

Source: News24Wire, 21/08/2015

The inquiry into the illegal arrest and deportation of a group of
Zimbabweans ruled on Friday that suspended Gauteng Hawks head Major
General Shadrack Sibiya be dismissed for his role in the renditions.

Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi quoted chairperson
Mxolisi Zondo as saying: "Accordingly, it is my view that the offence
is serious enough and of such gravity to warrant dismissal and for
that reason I impose a sanction of dismissal on General Sibiya."

Mulaudzi said both the Hawks' and Sibiya's legal representative had
been notified of the decision, so he was "quite sure" Sibiya had been
informed. Asked whether Sibiya's dismissal would go into effect on
Friday, Mulaudzi said processes needed to be followed. It was likely
the matter would be finalised by next week.

"We have to rubber stamp it. Once we get the report, we will go
through it. It means it will be left with our HR department, who with
our legal department will write a report to the acting national head
[Major General Berning Ntlemeza, who] will have to rubber stamp it,"
he said.

"It will also go through the office of the national commissioner.
General Riah Phiyega has to be informed as well." Mulaudzi said the
ruling had "vidicated" Ntlemeza, who had faced accusations of behaving
irrationally and lacking integrity early on in the disciplinary
process. "It became personal. This judgment vindicates him. He's just
doing his job. We are happy with the outcome," Mulaudzi said.

The inquiry found in July that Sibiya was "complicit" in the illegal
arrest and deportation of the Zimbabweans, wanted for murder in that
country. Sibiya had denied the claims, saying certain people were
trying to get back at him for his investigation into murder
allegations against former intelligence boss Richard Mdluli. Sent at
least 30 text messages In his findings in July, Zondo said he could
not place Sibiya at the scene of the operations in Diepsloot on
November 5 2010 or on November 23 2010, but his cellphone records
indicated that for the first operation he had sent at least 30 text
messages and been in cellphone contact with the team carrying out the
operation. He had also been in contact with former national Hawks head
Anwa Dramat. This meant he knew about it and sanctioned it.

Zondo said he had had to determine whether Sibiya - in his capacity as
head of the Hawks in Gauteng and overall commander of the Tactical
Operations Management Section in the province - knew or ought to have
known about the illegal renditions, and whether by conduct or
omission, had sanctioned the activities.

Some witnesses claimed they saw Sibiya at the scene of the November 5
operation, in a dark BMW in Fourways Crossing and later at Diepsloot,
but Zondo said this evidence was contradictory. Zondo had also found
it too much of a coincidence that Sibiya was at the Hawks' Silverton
offices on the day of the raids where a meeting was taking place
between Dramat and Zimbabwean police, and found it unlikely that he
would not have been informed of the operation or heard about it.

Dramat has since left office.

News24.com

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