Madonsela 'murder plot' whistleblower arrested

8 December 2016

Cape Town - A self-styled whistleblower, who earlier this year told former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela that a Cape Town gangster had been paid R740 000 to have her killed, has been arrested for breaking her parole conditions.

The Department of Correctional Services confirmed this on Thursday.

Sylvano Hendricks, a transgender woman who calls herself Queeny Madikizela-Malema and who also goes by the name Seveno Hendricks, was arrested shortly after midnight in the northern suburbs on Thursday.

On April 1 this year, Hendricks, who has links to the 26s and 28s gangs, sent Madonsela a message saying a gang boss had been paid R740 000 to have her killed.

Madonsela took the message seriously.

Earlier this year, Hendricks also passed on information to Community Safety MEC Dan Plato and was the source of an affidavit alleging a top cop and politician were working with gang bosses in the province.

Last week, Hendricks’s name again surfaced in the media when the owner of accommodation in Groot Brakrivier claimed she had racked up a nearly R90 000 bill, which he alleged was never paid, and that she had stolen a car.

Parole conditions broken

Hendricks was then quoted in a local tabloid, speaking out about the matter.

On Thursday, correctional services spokesperson Carla Williams confirmed her arrest.

"We cannot divulge information about where (she) is currently held for security reasons," she said.

Hendricks was previously sentenced to 12 years in jail for various crimes, including making a bomb threat to then-public protector Lawrence Mushwana.

On Thursday, White said Hendricks was placed on parole two years ago and among the conditions under which she was released was that she may not change her residential address without the consent of the department.

"The offender eluded the department since 28 August, 2016, and we were unable to monitor [Hendricks’s] movement as required while on parole. [Hendricks’s] whereabouts were unknown until [her] arrest.”

A case under the Correctional Services Act was opened against Hendricks, who faces a charge of absconding.

"(She) is required to serve the remainder of (her) sentence, which amounts to 325 days," White said.

Smear campaign

Police spokesperson Captain Frederick van Wyk said there was no record of Hendricks being arrested by the Goodwood or Parow police.

He asked at which police station Hendricks was being detained, so that he could try and gather further information.

But this information was not divulged due to security reasons.

Earlier this year, it emerged that Hendricks was one of three sources - whose credibility was questioned by, among others, some police officers - who had passed on information to Plato.

This had led to ANC members lodging a criminal complaint against Plato because of the "dubious sources" they believed he was using to write affidavits to smear, in particular, one of the province’s top police officers, Major General Jeremy Vearey.

Plato denied orchestrating a smear campaign against Vearey.

Hendricks made an affidavit implicating Vearey as being involved with the gang boss who she said was paid to plan Madonsela’s murder.

Earlier this week, Hendricks was active on Facebook.

Her last post on Tuesday appeared to taunt "Jeremy", presumably Vearey.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.