Deputy national police commissioner Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, who is languishing in jail after being arrested for allegedly raping an year-old girl, has resigned from the South African Police Service (SAPS), resulting in the termination of his employment contract while facing disciplinary proceedings.
Deputy Police Minister Polly Boshielo and Acting National Police Commissioner Puleng Dimpane confirmed his resignation during the launch of the 2026/27 Safer Festive Season Operations at Kabokweni Stadium in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, on Monday, 12 October.
Speaking to the media, Boshielo said Sibiya was scheduled to appear before a disciplinary hearing on Monday morning, but his legal team instead submitted a letter informing the authorities that he had resigned.
Boshielo said the SAPS could not prevent Sibiya from exercising his right to resign.
“His lawyers sent us his resignation letter because he was expected to appear in a disciplinary hearing. We cannot stop him from resigning. It is his democratic right,” Boshielo said.
Dimpane confirmed that Sibiya had resigned while facing disciplinary proceedings.
She said the disciplinary process was scheduled to begin on Monday, but Sibiya submitted his resignation through his lawyers when the proceedings commenced.
“He is no longer our member, and this discharge is regarded as a dishonourable discharge from the service,” Dimpane said.
Asked about the findings of the disciplinary process, Dimpane said the SAPS would not disclose further details because Sibiya was no longer a member of the service.
She said the necessary officials had been appointed to oversee the disciplinary process and that the hearing had been scheduled for Monday.
Asked whether other SAPS members could face disciplinary action for misconduct, Dimpane said the police could take further action against senior officers as part of efforts to address concerns raised by the Madlanga Commission.
She said a team had been established to deal with internal disciplinary matters involving officers flagged in two commission reports.
“Our structures that deal with issues of discipline in the police are hard at work to ensure that we implement those recommendations,” Dimpane said.
She added that the SAPS would act against any officer found to have acted unlawfully.
“Anyone who we investigate internally and is found to have been on the wrong side of the law, we are taking action, and we will take action without fear or favour,” she said.
