Shadrack Sibiya’s secret nights at Sandton strip club - TimesLIVE

Suspended deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya is believed to have been a regular visitor to upmarket Sandton strip club The Grand, where a dancer says he had a preference for Russian women.

Sibiya, 59, was arrested at the club on Monday over allegations he raped an 18-year-old girl, trafficked in persons and sexual groomed a 16-year-old girl.

He appeared in the Randburg magistrates’ court this week and is due to return there on Tuesday for a bail application.

He spends a lot of time with three Russian women. He also pays them to leave the club with him

The Sunday Times visited the popular strip club where Sibiya is alleged to have taken the 18-year-old woman who has accused him of rape.

A stripper said she saw Sibiya at least three times a month.

“He usually comes in at about 1am. He spends a lot of time with three Russian women. He also pays them to leave the club with him, and that can cost about R15,000,” she said.

The woman said it was not uncommon for dancers to be taken out of the club by patrons.

“I have also seen a few black women [with him], and he was buying them alcohol. I think the bill stood at R10,000,” she said.

The Grand strip club in Rivonia, Sandton. The upmarket establishment charges patrons between R600 and R1,000 to enter it, with a complimentary drink included in the cover charge. The club’s famous buffet will set patrons back an additional R1,500.

The charge sheet against Sibiya gives a detailed account of the State’s allegations about how his interaction with the 18-year-old unfolded on the night of May 16.

According to the document, the complainant, identified as MC, had been staying at the Sandton Garden Court hotel with two friends, identified as BQ and NM.

The women had arranged an outing and enlisted the assistance of a man identified in the charge sheet as Mr M to help them with transport and accommodation.

The state alleges that when Mr M arrived to collect the women from the hotel, he was accompanied by Sibiya, who was unknown to them.

The charge sheet states, “The accused, having heard that they were going out, instructed the girls to change their clothing and told them he would take them to a classy place. He took them to The Grand, which is a strip club in Sandton. He bought them food and plied them with liquor, and continued doing so at the Garden Court hotel.”

The state alleges MC subsequently passed out. It is then the prosecution alleges the rape took place.

The state further alleges that when Sibiya left the hotel room he boasted that she was “very nice and still a virgin”.

The rape charge is one of five counts against Sibiya. The others relate to allegations involving a 16-year-old girl and the alleged trafficking of three people for the purposes of sexual exploitation.

According to the charge sheet, the 16-year-old, identified as ZM, became acquainted with Sibiya after her father, who worked with Sibiya, gave her contact details to him on or about July 18 2026 for transport arrangements to be made.

The State alleges Sibiya subsequently befriended the girl through WhatsApp and engaged in sexually explicit communications with her.

The charge sheet claims Sibiya sent the child sexually explicit images and persuaded her to send material to him. He is charged with promoting the sexual grooming of a child and two counts of sexually grooming a child in relation to the allegations.

The trafficking allegation relates to the same May outing involving MC, BQ and NM.

According to the charge sheet, Sibiya allegedly “did unlawfully and intentionally deliver and/or recruit and/or transport” the three women for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

The state says this was done through the abuse of vulnerability, deception, and/or the abuse of power.

There is, however, a discrepancy in the charge sheet regarding the date attached to the trafficking allegation. One portion refers to July 16 2026, while the detailed narrative describing the outing to The Grand and the Garden Court gives the date as May 16 2026.

Sibiya is also facing intense scrutiny over his conduct within the police service.

In February, he was questioned over the abrupt and unexplained transfer of 121 political killing investigations from KwaZulu-Natal to the national police head office.

KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi strongly criticised the intervention, leading to a public feud between the two senior officers.

Mkhwanazi subsequently barred Sibiya from operating in the province and made the explosive statement that there could be “no peace between a criminal and a police officer”.

The Madlanga commission later examined allegations surrounding Sibiya’s relationships with controversial figures and his alleged financial links to people under investigation.

It heard allegations concerning suspicious financial links, tender payments and relationships involving Sibiya and businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.

One of the allegations concerned 20 impala allegedly given to Sibiya by a controversial figure.

The commission, in its report submitted to President Cyril Ramaphosa, recommended criminal investigations into Sibiya’s conduct, and that disciplinary action be taken against him.