Suspended South African Police Chief Appears in Court on Rape Charges

Suspended South African deputy national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya appeared in court on Tuesday to face rape and sexual grooming charges.

Police accuse Sibiya of sexually grooming a 16-year-old girl between July and August 2026 and of raping an 18-year-old teenager at a hotel in Johannesburg’s Sandton district.

Five charges

Kaizer Kganyago, a spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority, said Sibiya faces five charges: rape, trafficking in persons, promoting the sexual grooming of a child and two counts of sexual grooming of a child.

The case was postponed to September 29, according to Kganyago. The source information does not state the name of the court or provide details about bail, custody arrangements or Sibiya’s response to the allegations.

The allegations have been made against a senior police official amid wider concern over gender-based violence and accountability in South Africa. Acting national police commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane said the police service could not allow anyone accused of abusing their position or violating the rights of women and children to remain beyond scrutiny.

“Our commitment to combating GBVF must apply equally within our own organisation. Rank, position or seniority cannot place anyone above the law,” Dimpane said, referring to gender-based violence and femicide.

Acting police minister Firoz Cachalia described the allegations as “disturbing” and said sexual offence claims involving police members must be investigated without fear or favour, regardless of the individual’s rank or position.

Previous scrutiny

Sibiya was suspended last year after being accused of interfering in investigations into political killings. Earlier this year, he appeared before a judicial commission examining corruption and criminality within the security services.

At the commission, Sibiya faced allegations of links to criminal cartels. The commission recommended to President Cyril Ramaphosa that he face a criminal investigation.

The latest case comes as South Africa confronts persistent gender-based violence. The source report says nine women were found murdered east of Johannesburg over a two-month period between July 15 and mid-September, fuelling public fear and anger.

Official data cited in the report indicates that one in three women in South Africa experience physical or sexual violence during their lifetime. The government has declared gender-based violence a national disaster.

The allegations against Sibiya remain subject to legal proceedings. No conviction or final determination has been reported.