In brief
Lt Gen Shadrack Sibiya, the deputy chief of South Africa’s Police Service, resigned three weeks after prosecutors charged him with grooming a minor, raping an adult woman and trafficking. He has denied the allegations, claiming the alleged sexual act with the 18‑year‑old was consensual. Sibiya was arrested following a denied bail application and has been in custody since. His resignation comes amid heightened scrutiny of the police during the Madlanga Commission, which has examined allegations of corruption and collusion with organised crime. The case underscores the ongoing challenges faced by South Africa’s law‑and‑order institutions.
South Africa’s deputy police chief, Lt Gen Shadrack Sibiya, resigned after being charged with a series of sexual offences.
Following a disciplinary hearing on Monday, Sibiya’s lawyer submitted his resignation letter. The charges accuse him of grooming a 16‑year‑old girl, raping an 18‑year‑old woman, and trafficking.
He has denied the allegations, insisting that the relationship with the woman was consensual. Sibiya has been imprisoned since his arrest three weeks ago, when his bail application was refused.
Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe described his departure as a “dishonourable discharge” in a post on X (see https://x.com/SAPoliceService/status/2109610113707159962).
The resignation coincides with the Madlanga Commission’s inquiry into police corruption and alleged links with organised crime. The Commission, which began in September 2025, has heard accusations that Sibiya accepted a gift of 20 impalas from a suspected criminal kingpin in exchange for a police contract. Sibiya has denied these claims.
As the investigation continues, the Police Service faces mounting pressure to reform and restore public trust in a country where policing has long been scrutinised for abuse and corruption.
