South Africa’s Deputy Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, has resigned from the police service while facing criminal charges, including rape, sexual grooming and human trafficking.
Sibiya, 59, submitted his resignation through his lawyer during a disciplinary hearing on Monday, three weeks after his arrest, according to police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe. Mathe said the resignation would be treated as a dishonourable discharge because Sibiya was still facing disciplinary proceedings at the time of his departure.
The former deputy police chief has denied allegations that he sexually groomed a 16-year-old girl and raped an 18-year-old woman. He also faces a human trafficking charge. Although Sibiya acknowledges having had sexual relations with the 18-year-old woman, he maintains that the encounter was consensual. He has remained in custody since his arrest.
Beyond the criminal charges, Sibiya has faced allegations of links to organised crime figures, claims that contributed to his suspension last year. The accusations emerged during proceedings before the Madlanga Commission, a public inquiry established to investigate alleged corruption within the police service and possible collusion between officers and criminal networks.
During the inquiry, Sibiya was accused of interfering with investigations into politically motivated killings in KwaZulu-Natal province. He was also alleged to have received cash and 20 impalas from a suspected criminal kingpin in exchange for a police contract. Sibiya denied the allegations.
The commission was established by President Cyril Ramaphosa following allegations by KwaZulu-Natal’s police commissioner that then Police Minister Senzo Mchunu had links to criminal gangs. Mchunu denied the claims and was subsequently suspended. The inquiry has drawn considerable public attention as it examines allegations of corruption, criminal influence and misconduct within South Africa’s law enforcement agencies.
Sibiya’s resignation marks a significant development in the disciplinary proceedings against him, but the criminal allegations remain subject to determination through the judicial process.
