Hailing from Vryheid, in KwaZulu-Natal, Sibiya became a private pupil of Cecil Skotnes and was based in Soweto.

Sibiya was best known for his painted woodcut panels, cut in shallow relief and embellished with paint, rendering the panels as finished objects in themselves. Over time, his inclination led him to carve rather than engrave these panels - making his work increasingly three-dimensional. He also experimented with mixed media and found objects - including clothing, rusting metal, and leather and often sculpted in bone, wood and metal. His subject matter was partly inspired by his father’s work as a sangoma. Figures engaged in various activities, and a system of abstract symbols became a recognisable characteristic of his work.

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