Rafadi Denies Interest in DIPC Post Amid Leaked WhatsApp Messages

Rafadi’s claims for Hawks positions contradicts.

by Mathipa Phishego

A former crime intelligence operative, Calvin Rafadi, has denied allegations that he sought employment within the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), popularly known as the Hawks, following the leak of WhatsApp messages linking him to a high-level vacancy.

The controversy erupted after a screenshot of the DPCI job opening was circulated in a WhatsApp group, allegedly sent by Rafadi. In the exchange, alleged underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala reportedly replied that the position had already been “given to Shadrack Sibiya,” the suspended deputy national commissioner for crime detection currently appearing before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee.

In an interview with SABC News, Rafadi vehemently denied ever seeking the position, dismissing the claims as fabricated and malicious attempts to discredit him.

“I never applied for that job, nor did I express any interest. I simply shared the post as information. I have written to the National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, to register my complaint about this smear campaign,” Rafadi once told SABC News.

However, leaked WhatsApp messages seen by this publication appear to contradict Rafadi’s account. In one exchange, he is allegedly seen telling an associate that he would consider applying for the post “if politics changed,” raising questions about his true intentions.

The messages have since been submitted to investigators connected to the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into corruption and political interference within the criminal justice system. The Commission has not confirmed whether Rafadi will be called to testify but indicated that all evidence relevant to the DPCI’s hiring practices and alleged outside influence will form part of its ongoing hearings.

Both Rafadi and Sibiya have been embroiled in recent controversies linked to allegations of interference in police operations.