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The South African Police Service confirmed that Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya’s legal representative submitted his resignation letter immediately after the disciplinary hearing began on October 12 2026. Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe stated that since an ongoing disciplinary case was active the departure counts as a dishonourable discharge and Sibiya’s service has been terminated with immediate effect. The announcement came as Sibiya remains in custody ahead of a bail hearing the following day.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority Sibiya faces five charges including the rape of an 18-year-old woman at a Sandton hotel in May 2026 three counts related to the sexual grooming of a 16-year-old girl between May and August 2026 and one count of human trafficking involving three people. NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the state alleges Sibiya used electronic communications to promote the grooming of the child and is directly linked to the rape incident. The Mail and Guardian reported that the alleged offences occurred between 16 May and 3 August 2026.
Sibiya has denied all charges and in an affidavit read during earlier court proceedings he admitted to having intercourse with the 18-year-old but insisted it was consensual while claiming the teenager had a crush on him. He has been held at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre since his arrest on 21 September 2026 after his initial bail application was denied over concerns of witness intimidation and a possible escape plan. Prosecutors are opposing his release with the bail application now scheduled for 13 October 2026.
The Associated Press reported that Sibiya had been suspended since September 2025 after KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi accused him of complicity with criminal networks. This internal suspension preceded the criminal charges and set the stage for the disciplinary process that ended with his resignation. External sources including EWN noted that the past month has been particularly challenging for the 59-year-old officer facing both the criminal case and the internal hearing simultaneously.
A judicial commission of inquiry chaired by retired judge Mbuyiseni Madlanga has heard extensive testimony accusing Sibiya of accepting large cash payments and gifts including 20 impalas from alleged criminal kingpin Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala in exchange for police contracts. According to evidence presented at the Madlanga Commission these alleged bribes amounted to hundreds of thousands of rand across multiple incidents. Sibiya denied the corruption claims during his appearances before the commission.
The Madlanga Commission forms part of a broader public inquiry launched in September 2025 into systemic corruption and collusion between South African Police Service officers and organised crime syndicates. Multiple senior officials have faced similar accusations during the hearings which were initially triggered by controversies surrounding the disbandment of specialised task teams. The developments have placed the entire police leadership under intensified public and parliamentary scrutiny.
