The allegations against suspended deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya have raised serious questions about child protection, abuse of power and the safety of survivors in South Africa.
For Joburg Child Welfare (JCW), the case also highlights a difficult reality: children who experience sexual abuse need to know that the people and institutions they turn to for help will protect them, regardless of who is accused of harming them.
Sibiya, 59, faces charges relating to the alleged rape of an 18-year-old girl and the sexual grooming of a 16-year-old girl. The allegations are before the courts and the legal process must take its course.
However, the case has renewed concerns about the challenges survivors face in seeking justice, particularly when allegations involve people in positions of authority. JCW says the focus must remain on protecting children, ensuring fair and independent investigations and holding people accountable when they are found guilty of serious offences.
Abubakr Hattas, the CEO of JCW, says cases of this nature can affect public trust in law enforcement and discourage survivors from reporting abuse. For a child who is afraid to speak about what happened, hearing allegations involving a senior police official can create further uncertainty about whether they will be believed, protected and taken seriously. Survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) might also find such developments distressing, especially if they have experienced intimidation, threats or difficulties accessing justice.
While the allegations against Sibiya must be determined in court, Hattas says institutions cannot ignore the wider impact the cases may have on survivors. Restoring public confidence requires more than assurances that the justice system is working. It requires independent investigations, proper protection for complainants and witnesses and accountability that applies to everyone, regardless of their position or influence.
The concerns come at a time when South Africa continues to face high levels of GBV and child sexual abuse. The problem extends beyond individual cases, affecting families and communities across the country.
The JCW says it handled 1 500 cases of child abuse in 2026, underlining the need for services that protect vulnerable children and help survivors recover. For the organisation, every case represents a child or young person whose safety, well-being and future has been affected by abuse.
Hattas believes some of the biggest challenges lie in the implementation of child-protection laws. Social development services, the police, healthcare providers and the courts all have responsibilities in responding to abuse but poor coordination and delays can leave children vulnerable. When reports are not properly investigated or cases take too long to move through the justice system, survivors might lose faith in the process. Children might also struggle to report abuse when the person accused is a trusted adult, a professional or someone with power over them.
The JCW says South Africa needs stronger accountability across the institutions responsible for protecting children. This includes ensuring that reports of abuse are taken seriously, investigations are conducted independently where necessary, and officials who neglect their duties or interfere with investigations face appropriate consequences.
The organisation also believes that children and witnesses must be protected from intimidation throughout legal proceedings, particularly when cases involve people with significant influence.
The call for accountability is also linked to the need for better funding. The JCW operates eight GBV response clinics that collectively receive between 350 and 400 new survivors every month. Despite this demand, none of the clinics receives dedicated funding, leaving the organisation dependent on public support to keep the essential services running. Hattas says this places significant pressure on organisations that are expected to assist survivors while working with limited resources.
For children who have experienced sexual abuse, getting help does not end with reporting the incident or seeing a case go to court. Many need ongoing emotional and psychological support to understand what has happened to them, deal with trauma and begin rebuilding their lives.
Without this support, the effects of abuse can continue long after the immediate danger has passed. Survivors may struggle with trust, relationships, their sense of safety and their mental wellbeing for years.
Through its Lalela Centre for Children’s Healing, the JCW provides therapeutic support to children affected by abuse, violence and neglect. The centre works with professional and volunteer practitioners, including psychology PhD students from Wits University, to help children work through trauma and other emotional challenges.
However, therapy often requires regular sessions over an extended period, which places pressure on the organisation’s available professionals and financial resources. Hattas says psychological support must be recognised as an essential part of child protection, rather than an optional service that depends on whether funding is available.
The JCW is also calling for serious sexual offences to receive appropriate sentences in line with the law, particularly where a person has abused a position of trust or authority. South African law provides for life imprisonment for certain serious sexual offences and the organisation believes these provisions must be applied rigorously when the legal requirements are met. It also argues that accountability should extend to people who knowingly conceal abuse, obstruct investigations or prevent survivors from accessing justice.
However, Hattas says harsher sentences alone will not solve South Africa’s GBV crisis. The country also needs properly funded support services, effective investigations, independent oversight and stronger prevention efforts. Families and communities must be able to recognise the signs of abuse, know where to seek help and understand that children should be listened to when they disclose harm.
The concern surrounding cases such as Sibiya’s is not only about what happens in court. It is also about the message sent to children who might be struggling to speak out and to survivors who are deciding whether to seek help. They need to know that their safety matters, their complaints will be taken seriously and support will be available to help them recover.
For the JCW, protecting children means building a system that does not simply respond when abuse occurs but works to prevent it, holds perpetrators accountable and supports survivors long after public attention has moved on.