Sibiya to file urgent bid to postpone SAPS disciplinary hearing - IOL

Suspended deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya’s legal team will file an urgent application to postpone his SAPS disciplinary hearing, telling the Randburg Magistrates’ Court that he is not yet ready to proceed.

Suspended deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya will file an urgent application to postpone his SAPS disciplinary hearing after his legal team indicated that he is not yet ready to proceed.

This emerged on Friday at the Randburg Magistrates’ Court, where Sibiya appeared for the continuation of his bail hearing.

Sibiya faces five charges, including rape, sexual grooming and human trafficking.

A further charge relating to the alleged negligent possession of a firearm has also been added.

The state alleges that Sibiya raped an 18-year-old woman at a Sandton hotel on May after she was allegedly given alcohol and lost consciousness.

Sibiya is also accused of sexually grooming a 16-year-old girl via WhatsApp between July and August.

The state alleges that he possessed and shared sexually explicit images of the teenager, who is the daughter of one of Sibiya’s associates.

The state further alleges that Sibiya trafficked three people for sexual exploitation.

Prosecutors maintain that they have a strong case against Sibiya and are opposing his release on bail.

His attorney, Estelle Killian SC, said the defence would file an urgent application to postpone the disciplinary proceedings.

“I called your attention to the fact that on the 30th, there was a further notice served, a third notice. There is a pending notice for the November hearing, then there is the expedited notice which is to be heard on Monday, and then a third notice was filed and served on him based on these specific charges before him without a date indicated. So those are the three disciplinary issues,” Killian said.

She said the defence would make the application when Sibiya appears on Monday. If it is unsuccessful, the defence will approach the Labour Court.

IOL previously reported that SAPS had confirmed that a disciplinary hearing had been scheduled against Sibiya.

SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said Sibiya was served with disciplinary papers while in the holding cells on Tuesday morning.

The hearing is scheduled for October 5, and relates to allegations arising from the Madlanga Commission inquiry.

“We can confirm that the member in question has been served with a notice to attend a disciplinary hearing on October 5 on allegations arising from the Madlanga Commission inquiry,” Mathe told reporters outside the court.

“We can confirm that the presiding officer, who is a senior officer, served him this morning and the disciplinary hearing is set down for October 5. We will be guided by the court.”

Mathe said arrangements would be made for the disciplinary hearing to proceed if Sibiya remained in custody. If he is released on bail, details of the venue would be communicated to him.

Sibiya was served with the notice on Tuesday because SAPS regulations require at least five days’ notice before a disciplinary hearing.

Mathe said the internal departmental investigation had been finalised and the disciplinary hearing was subsequently scheduled on an expedited basis.

“I can confirm that there is an expeditious disciplinary hearing, which is Regulation 9, because allegations of corruption will fall under that category, and these are quite serious allegations that he is facing,” Mathe said.

Sibiya said he remained employed as a lieutenant-general in SAPS but had been suspended pending the disciplinary proceedings.

He was placed on special leave in July 2025, which was subsequently treated as a suspension amid investigations into alleged misconduct.

Meanwhile, Magistrate Hleziphi Mkhasibe postponed Sibiya’s bail hearing to Wednesday, October 7 for continuation.

Sibiya is currently being held in solitary confinement at the C-Max facility at Kgosi Mampuru II.

His legal counsel maintains that the conditions of his detention lack a justifiable basis.

Investigating officer Detective Nokukhanya Ndlovu, attached to the Commission Recommendations Task Team, said the arrangements necessary for security reasons and that the conditions were appropriate.

The defence said the matter should be dealt with by the Department of Correctional Services.