The KwaZulu-Natal police have launched a formal investigation into a shocking case of data tampering after discovering that a criminal record belonging to Stuart James Scharnick—a known acquaintance of suspended General Shadrack Sibiya—was deliberately deleted from the police database earlier this year.
According to police spokesperson Brigadier Nqobile Gwala, the incident occurred in January 2025, when one of the SAPS employees accessed the internal records system and erased Scharnick’s criminal history. Fortunately, digital forensic experts later recovered the deleted files from the system’s backend, ensuring that the record was not permanently lost.
“We can confirm that the records were deleted, but we managed to retrieve them through our cybersecurity and digital forensic units,” said Brigadier Gwala. “A full internal investigation is now underway to determine whether the staff member acted independently or under instruction from someone higher up.”
What has raised further alarm within law enforcement circles is the revelation that Scharnick, despite his criminal convictions, currently owns five licensed firearms. Questions are being asked about how a person with a criminal record managed to retain gun ownership rights under South Africa’s strict Firearms Control Act.
A senior police insider told KZN Tonight that investigators are “not ruling out collusion” within the system that may have allowed Scharnick’s record to be manipulated or hidden from verification databases during firearm license renewals.
This incident comes amid increasing scrutiny surrounding high-ranking police figures and their alleged associations with controversial individuals. Scharnick’s name recently surfaced during discussions linked to Lt. Gen. Sibiya, who has himself been placed on suspension pending unrelated disciplinary processes.
Public reaction to the revelation has been swift, with civic organizations and political commentators calling for transparency and accountability in the investigation.
“The public’s trust in law enforcement depends on the integrity of its systems,” said legal analyst Thulani Mthethwa. “When criminal records can simply disappear, it raises serious concerns about corruption, privilege, and internal control failures.”
Police authorities have assured the public that “no stone will be left unturned” in identifying the individual—or network—responsible for the unauthorized deletion.
As the investigation unfolds, both the motive and method behind the data tampering remain key questions. Whether it was an isolated act of misconduct or part of a wider attempt to shield a convicted associate of a senior police official, the case could have far-reaching implications for data security and accountability within the South African Police Service.
