In brief
Lt General Shadrack Sibiya resigned as deputy police chief three weeks after police charged him with grooming a 16‑year‑old, raping an 18‑year‑old, and trafficking. He denied all allegations, claiming the encounter with the 18‑year‑old was consensual. Sibiya has been in custody since his arrest, and his departure was described by a police spokesperson as a dishonourable discharge. The case comes amid the Madlanga Commission inquiry into corruption and alleged collusion between police and criminals. The investigation has also included claims that Sibiya received a large gift from a suspected criminal kingpin.
Lt General Shadrack Sibiya, South Africa’s deputy police chief, resigned on Monday after a disciplinary hearing, three weeks after he was charged with sexual offences.
According to a police spokesperson, Sibiya’s lawyer submitted a resignation letter at the hearing. The charges include allegations that he groomed a 16‑year‑old girl, raped an 18‑year‑old woman and faced a trafficking charge. Sibiya maintained that the alleged act with the 18‑year‑old was consensual and has denied all other accusations.
The former deputy crime chief has been in custody since his arrest, after a bail application was denied. In a statement on X, spokesperson Athlenda Mathe labelled the resignation a “dishonourable discharge.”
The case arrives amidst the Madlanga Commission inquiry, which began in September 2025 and probes corruption and possible collusion with criminals within the police service. The commission has heard that Sibiya received a gift of 20 impalas from a supposed criminal kingpin in return for a police contract. He has denied the allegation.
The resignation raises further questions about leadership and accountability within South Africa’s police, at a time when the force is under intense public scrutiny.
