A dancer at The Grand has described suspended deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya as a regular visitor who allegedly favoured Russian dancers and spent heavily during his visits.
27 September 2026 | 11:05
SANDTON, JOHANNESBURG — Suspended deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya was allegedly a regular visitor to The Grand, an upmarket strip club in Sandton, according to a dancer who spoke about his visits.
The dancer claimed Sibiya would typically arrive at around 1am and spend considerable time with three Russian dancers.
“He usually comes in at about 1am. He spends a lot of time with three Russian women,” the dancer said, according to the account published in media reports.
The dancer further alleged that Sibiya would sometimes pay the women to leave the club with him, with the amount reportedly reaching about R15,000.
The claims have emerged as Sibiya faces serious criminal charges involving allegations of rape, human trafficking and the sexual grooming of a child.
The Grand connection
The Grand has become a significant location in the state’s case against Sibiya.
According to the charge sheet read in the Randburg Magistrates’ Court, the state alleges that Sibiya took a group of young women to the Sandton establishment on 16 May 2026.
The state alleges that Sibiya described the destination as a “classy” place before taking them to The Grand.
Prosecutors further allege that he bought the women food and supplied them with alcohol at the venue before the group later returned to the Garden Court Hotel.
The state alleges that an 18-year-old woman subsequently became unconscious and that Sibiya raped her while she was incapacitated.
Those allegations have not been tested in court. Sibiya has not pleaded to the charges. (Weekend Argus)
What the dancer claims
The latest account concerns Sibiya’s alleged wider association with the club rather than the specific incident forming the basis of the rape charge.
The dancer described what she said was a pattern of late-night visits.
According to her account, Sibiya would arrive around 1am, spend time with three Russian dancers and allegedly pay them to accompany him away from the club.
The claimed figure of R15,000 relates to the dancer’s account of these alleged private arrangements.
There is currently no indication that the dancer’s account, by itself, forms part of the charges before the court.
Sibiya’s criminal case
Sibiya, 59, is facing five charges arising from allegations involving an 18-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl.
The state alleges that he sexually groomed the 16-year-old through WhatsApp communications between July and August 2026.
He is also accused of sending the girl explicit photographs of herself and allegedly encouraging her to send sexual material to him.
In the separate May allegation, prosecutors allege that Sibiya arranged an outing involving the 18-year-old and other women, took them to The Grand and supplied them with alcohol before the group returned to a hotel. (TimesLIVE)
From police leadership to the dock
The allegations come as Sibiya faces a dramatic legal and professional crisis.
The suspended senior police officer previously held the position of Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, placing him at the centre of South Africa’s detective and criminal-investigation structures.
He is now in custody while the criminal proceedings continue.
His bail application is scheduled to begin on 29 September 2026, with the prosecution indicating that it will oppose bail. (Daily Maverick)
What we know
- Sibiya is a suspended deputy national police commissioner.
- A dancer has alleged that he was a regular visitor to The Grand in Sandton.
- The dancer claims he often arrived around 1am.
- She alleges he spent time with three Russian dancers.
- She claims he sometimes paid women to leave the club with him, allegedly up to R15,000.
- The Grand is also named in the state’s account of the 16 May 2026 incident involving an 18-year-old complainant.
- Sibiya faces five criminal charges, including rape, human trafficking and sexual grooming of a child.
- The allegations have not been tested at trial.
- Sibiya has not pleaded to the charges.
- His bail proceedings are scheduled for 29 September 2026.
The big question
The emerging accounts raise questions about Sibiya’s relationship with The Grand and whether information from people who knew him at the venue will become relevant to the broader investigation.
However, claims about his alleged visits to the club should not automatically be treated as evidence of the specific offences with which he has been charged.
The criminal case will ultimately turn on the evidence presented before the court.
What happens next?
Sibiya is expected back in the Randburg Magistrates’ Court on 29 September for his bail proceedings.
The state is expected to set out its reasons for opposing his release, while the defence will have an opportunity to present its case.
The criminal allegations will then proceed through the court process, where evidence will be tested.
Crime Connect will continue to follow the case and report verified developments from the court and investigators.
Featured image caption
Suspended deputy national police commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya faces serious criminal charges while further claims about his alleged visits to a Sandton strip club emerge.
Article information
Category: Crime / Courts / Police
Location: Sandton, Johannesburg
Person: Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya
Venue: The Grand, Sandton
Charges: Rape, human trafficking and sexual grooming of a child
Status: Criminal proceedings ongoing
Legal and accuracy note
The claims concerning Sibiya’s alleged visits to The Grand and payments to dancers are allegations attributed to a dancer/source and should not be presented as established fact unless independently confirmed. The separate criminal allegations against Sibiya have also not been proven in court. Sibiya is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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