The wife of suspended deputy national police commissioner Lt Gen Shadrack Sibiya, Sizakele Dlamini, has made allegations that the father of a 16-year-old girl linked to one of the charges against her husband was pressured by unknown individuals. In her affidavit supporting Sibiya's bail application, Dlamini claims that an "apostle" told her that the girl's father, referred to as Mr M, wanted to withdraw the charges after seeing Sibiya crying in the dock.
According to Dlamini, the apostle stated that Mr M was being approached by people he referred to as "these guys", who were allegedly telling him that he could "give the guy to them". The apostle indicated that Mr M was the only person in a position to do so and that he wanted to speak to the grandmother who had opened the case about having the matter set aside as a family matter.
Dlamini further alleged that the apostle later told her that Mr M was being placed under pressure by people identified as "Khumalo and Mkhwanazi". However, it was not immediately clear from the affidavit who Dlamini was referring to by those names. The affidavit also stated that the apostle believed Mr M had become fearful and felt that he had "gone too far".
During the bail hearing, Magistrate Hleziphi Mkhasibe asked the legal team to identify the apostle referred to in the affidavit. Sibiya's lawyers stated that he was an assistant pastor at ECG Church and that the Sibiya family had known him for about six months. According to Dlamini, the apostle had provided Sibiya with spiritual guidance and counsel on several occasions.
Dlamini also claimed that she received four WhatsApp messages from Mr M on October 2, 2026, which she understood to be threatening and intimidating. The messages included a lengthy text, two images that appeared to be screenshots of WhatsApp conversations, and a forwarded voice note lasting about 25 minutes.
Sibiya, 59, was arrested on September 21, 2026, following an investigation by the Commission Recommendations Task Team. He has denied allegations of raping an 18-year-old woman, sexually grooming a 16-year-old girl, and trafficking three people for sexual exploitation. The prosecution maintains that it has a strong case against Sibiya and is opposing his release on bail.
The bail hearing has been postponed to October 13. Sibiya's lawyers are seeking to have the charges against him dismissed, while the prosecution is working to strengthen its case. The case has garnered significant attention due to Sibiya's high-ranking position in the South African Police Service.
Key points
- The wife of suspended police general Shadrack Sibiya alleges that the father of a 16-year-old girl linked to charges against him was pressured by unknown individuals.
- The allegations are contained in an affidavit supporting Sibiya's bail application.
- The bail hearing has been postponed to October 13.
