JUST IN: Taxi boss Bafana Sindane set to face Madlanga Commission over R2m extortion claims - IOL
Taxi boss Bafana Sindane is expected to testify at the Madlanga Commission on Wednesday.
Taxi boss Bafana “King of the Sky” Sindane has been ordered to appear before the Madlanga Commission on Wednesday, despite his lawyers seeking to postpone his testimony because of their commitments at the Khampepe Commission.
Sindane’s lawyers told the commission they had already been scheduled to appear before the Khampepe Commission and asked for his testimony to be delayed.
“We were booked as far as February for the Khampepe commission,” lawyer Mpati Qofa said.
Chairperson retired Deputy Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga directed Sindane’s legal team to file a formal postponement application by midnight on Monday.
The application will be heard on Wednesday, but Madlanga said Sindane must attend the commission regardless of whether the application is successful.
“The application must be filed by midnight on Monday… Sindane must also be present on Wednesday because you never know whether the application could be granted or not,” Madlanga said.
The commission is not sitting on Tuesday.
Sindane’s expected appearance comes as he faces criminal charges linked to an alleged extortion scheme involving more than R2 million.
The state alleges that Sindane, Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni, Mvimbi Daniel Masilela and Philemon Msiza forced a mining businessman in Mpumalanga’s Nkangala district to pay more than R2 million in unlawful protection fees between 2022 and 2025.
According to the allegations, the businessman was threatened with having his operations shut down if he failed to pay.
Sindane also faces money-laundering charges allegedly connected to the proceeds.
He was later granted bail after his arrest. Authorities have alleged that he attempted to evade arrest, while earlier reports stated that he had surrendered to police.
The commission has subpoenaed Sindane and issued a Rule 10.6 notice requiring him to answer questions about alleged criminal syndicates and associations in the transport sector.
Sibanyoni appeared before the commission on Monday, but his testimony was postponed.
