Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya has resigned from the South African Police Service (SAPS) with immediate effect, the police service confirmed on Monday. His departure comes as disciplinary proceedings against him commenced, and the police have classified his resignation as a dishonourable discharge. Sibiya, 59, tendered his resignation through his legal representative shortly after the proceedings began.
Sibiya is facing five criminal charges in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court, including rape, human trafficking, and the sexual grooming of a child. He was arrested on September 21 and allegedly raped an 18-year-old woman at a Sandton hotel and sexually groomed a 16-year-old girl. Prosecutors claim the incidents occurred between May and August this year. Sibiya denies raping the woman, stating that it was consensual, and also denies the grooming allegations.
According to the State, Sibiya took a group of young women to a Sandton strip club on May 16, where he allegedly bought them food and supplied them with alcohol. He then continued to provide alcohol at the Garden Court Hotel, where prosecutors allege the 18-year-old woman became unconscious and that Sibiya sexually penetrated her without her consent. The State further claims he told her friends that she was “very nice and still a virgin”.
Sibiya’s bail application is continuing, with him expected to return to the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. His departure from SAPS follows years of controversy within the police service. In 2025, he was suspended after allegations that he interfered with investigations into political killings in KwaZulu-Natal. He was accused of ordering 121 case dockets to be removed from the task team and transferred to police headquarters in Pretoria.
Sibiya has also been implicated in allegations of corruption and interference in police operations before the Madlanga Commission. He was accused of receiving cash and improper gifts, including 20 impalas, from alleged underworld figures and leaking confidential police information. In 2015, he was dismissed over his alleged role in the illegal rendition of Zimbabwean nationals but successfully challenged the dismissal.
Sibiya returned to national policing in 2023 and was promoted to lieutenant-general, serving as deputy national commissioner for crime detection. However, he was suspended in 2025 after KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi accused him of complicity with criminal networks. His resignation marks the end of his career with SAPS.
The police service confirmed that Sibiya’s employment had been terminated with immediate effect. His resignation has sparked widespread attention given his high-profile position and the serious nature of the charges against him. Sibiya’s case will continue to unfold in the courts.
Key points
- Sibiya’s resignation from SAPS has been classified as a dishonourable discharge due to the commencement of disciplinary proceedings against him.
- Sibiya faces five criminal charges, including rape, human trafficking, and the sexual grooming of a child.
- His departure follows years of controversy within the police service, including allegations of corruption and interference in police operations.
