Lt Gen Shadrack Sibiya resigned at his disciplinary hearing on Monday after a lawyer submitted his resignation letter, according to police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe. Mathe stated on social media that his departure from the police force is regarded as a dishonourable discharge.
Sibiya has been in custody since his arrest three weeks ago after a court denied him bail. He has denied all charges against him. In relation to the alleged rape of an 18-year-old woman, he has said the sex was consensual. He also faces a trafficking charge.
The resignation adds further scrutiny to the South African Police Service, which is already the subject of a major public inquiry known as the Madlanga Commission. The commission, which began in September 2025, is investigating allegations of corruption and collusion with criminals. During the inquiry, it has been alleged that Sibiya received a gift of 20 impalas from an alleged criminal kingpin in exchange for a police contract. Sibiya has denied this allegation.