The father of a 16-year-old girl who suspended deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya is accused of sexually grooming has almost 300 recordings of Sibiya’s meetings.
The court heard that Mr M had also kept recordings, photographs, vehicle-camera footage and vehicle-tracking information.
Sibiya’s wife, Sizakele Dlamini, filed an affidavit in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court in which she said Mr M threatened her, saying he would release documents about Sibiya to the police.
Mr M, who is alleged to have previously worked as Sibiya’s bodyguard, said he had been documenting his interactions with Sibiya, including meetings, conversations, locations and people allegedly collecting money.
In WhatsApp messages to Sibiya’s wife, Mr M said he had kept records because he feared the information could become important.
“Because of what happened I started keeping records of events and interactions which I believe could become relevant. I have photographs, messages, locations records, documents and records relating to various meetings and conversations that took place while I was present,” he told her.
“I did this because I felt that I needed to protect myself and preserve the truth of what happened,” he said.
Mr M said he had taken steps to ensure the information was preserved in case anything happened to him.
“Somebody already has this file for me, this USB. If anything happened for me to die by any format, that USB will be given to the right people.”
Mr M said he trusted the person who had the USB with his life.
“All the conversation, all the criminal activity he was negotiating has been obtained in my USB. I just wish he wouldn't have just gone that route. That's my child and I [will] do everything and anything to fight for the rights of my child,” he said.
Mr M also referred to alleged links between Sibiya, alleged criminal figures including Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, Brown Mogotsi and certain police officers.
“He denies working with me. I'm not gonna deny anything. I'm gonna have to give them every information pertaining to all the cases, all the people who disappeared, all [of] Cat Matlala involvement and all the senior officials and politicians. I'm not gonna deny anything,” he said.
Mr M said he had been warned that Sibiya was dangerous and had decided to preserve information with someone he trusted.
“I preserved information for my own protection. I'm not saying this to threaten anyone,” he said.
He also said he would provide information to the authorities if his name continued to be tarnished during Sibiya’s bail application and trial.
“I will also share with you the information relating to what happened in January. That was the point at which I became particularly concerned and decided that it needed to start preserving record keeping,” he said.
The state has charged Sibiya with sexual grooming, rape and human trafficking, among others.
The state alleges that between July and August 2026, Sibiya used WhatsApp to groom Mr M’s teenage daughter, soliciting explicit videos and instructing her to keep their interactions secret.
Sibiya also faces allegations relating to an 18-year-old woman who the state alleges was trafficked and raped at a Sandton hotel in May. The prosecution alleges that alcohol was involved and the woman was raped while unconscious. Sibiya’s defence maintains that the encounter was consensual.
In one recording, Sibiya is allegedly heard confronting and threatening Mr M after the criminal case was opened, telling him he could “deal with [him] very quickly and easily”.
Sibiya’s lawyers have argued that the recording was taken out of context and arose from a personal dispute concerning Mr M’s own conduct, rather than an attempt to intimidate a witness.
The court also heard a recorded phone call allegedly made to Mr M by Bishop Azwihangwi Maumela, an associate of Sibiya.
The state alleges that Maumela contacted Mr M shortly after Sibiya’s arrest to confront him and pressure his family into dropping the charges.
Sibiya’s defence advocate Estelle Killian has argued that Sibiya did not ask Maumela to speak on his behalf.
“He says Mr Maumela is a politician and he will talk at every opportunity he can get. It is political-speak that we are going to retaliate. It does not mean we are going to take up arms,” said advocate Killian.
The defence stated that Sibiya’s wife felt threatened and was pressured to tell her husband to stop tarnishing Mr M’s name in court.
“He is not threatening her but he is threatening the husband and he is threatening the way these proceedings are continuing. And he is essentially telling her that if she doesn't stop the manner in which he is being portrayed in this court, then he will divulge the information,” Sibiya’s lawyer said.
The state prosecutor said the prosecution was grateful that WhatsApp texts from Mr M had been brought before the court, saying they could strengthen the state’s case.
Investigators also told the court that a police officer supporting Sibiya’s bail application, Matome Johannes Rasekgokga, allegedly leaked sensitive case information to Sibiya after Mr M introduced the officer to him.
Sibiya’s bail application has been postponed until Tuesday, 13 October, when the state is expected to provide the court with affidavits from Mr M and the 18-year-old complainant.