The systemic protection of Scharnick appeared to extend also to the Director of Public Prosecutions in the region as well as the judiciary. Two dossiers will be given to the NPA Magistrates Commission, he confirmed.
“During the process of profiling Mr Scharnick we uncovered a number of issues. When we looked at the criminal record system we found that someone had gone into it in January and had made some adjustments”.
In the process, he said, records relating to Scharnick’s arm-length rap sheet, which includes violent hijacking, car theft and assault GBH, were deleted.
However, Gopaul added “the employee did not understand that the transactions still reflect on the back end”. An inquiry into which SAPS employee facilitated Scharnick’s clean record is in progress.
“We will hold that employee accountable” he promised.
Sibiya link
The SAPS investigation was launched after the burly Sharnick, who is linked to suspended deputy police commissioner, Shadrack Sibiya, lodged a charge of perjury in Pretoria against Crime Intelligence Head, Dumisani Khumalo this week.
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-11-09-sibiya-caught-between-glory-and-scandal/
Khumalo had testified to the Madlanga Commission that Sibiya had made use of a vehicle owned by Scharnick, an individual who had faced 34 criminal charges, had been found guilty in 18 cases, while 11 had been withdrawn. He was acquitted of five.
Scharnick hit back saying Khumalo had “damaged his reputation” and that the lives of his family had been “endangered” by the claims. He accused Khumalo’s statement as being “riddled with lies”.
Plea Deals
Gopaul said investigators “physically perused every case and every document. We looked at 29 criminal case dockets, 18 counts in just one case.”
Ten of the 29 dockets were part of a plea deals that Scharnick had entered with the courts He was given a five-year suspended sentence and a R150 000 fine.
“Carjacking. We are talking about a violent crime done with force and aggressive emotions and a car taken against victim. There are eight such cases” said the acting head.
Scharnick’s dockets had become “centralised” at the DPCI as cases had come from across KZN. From Hillcrest to Durban Central, Chatsworth to Malvern, Pine Town to Sydenham and Empangeni.
“We find in all of these cases there was a plea. The court will have to explain this plea. We are not sure what informed the court to enter into a plea with this particular accused,” said Gopaul.
He said that an exploded view of the 18 dockets offered “an understanding of organised crime” and that Scharnick had been responsible for the sale of hijacked and stolen vehicles.
“There are common actors who facilitate and enable organised crime to take place. The scrapyard, police clearance, the registration of the vehicle. There is a chain involved. There is compelling evidence to suggest more than what the plea was made out to be”.
Prosecutorial Scope
SAPS were keen to learn what “scope” had been adopted by the prosecutor who had facilitated the plea deal and whether the magistrate “had all the information when handing down the sentence”.
Cases were withdrawn due to “insufficient” evidence, he added, while some cases had not been enrolled at all. In some matters the victim changed their statement afterwards. Incidents of malicious damage to property and another for discharging a firearm in a public place also resulted in findings of not guilty.
Schrnick had also applied on numerous occasions for gun licenses but had been turned down. He later managed to secure a licence under the false impression it was for hunting, added Gopaul.
Guns
“He owns five firearms. We ask how does a person with convictions acquire a firearms license and for what purpose?”
Investigating “the system” it was revealed that the Scharnick had made multiple applications for firearms but did not have the necessary competency certificates. After being turned down he was eventually approved in February 2023. His sixth application had been for a shotgun,
“All these firearms you have to provide reasons. There is a clip of him on social media where he is brandishing a rifle. The posture suggests he is a security person”.
To do so one had to register with PSIRA and follow other regulations which Scharnick had failed to do.
“We are still digging into that investigation”.