WATCH | Sibanyoni reveals R900k business payment to man accusing him of extortion - IOL

Mpumalanga taxi boss, Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni, has returned to the Madlanga Commission but this time to respond to allegations that he extorted money from businessmen in the area.

Mpumalanga taxi boss Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni told the Madlanga Commission that he paid businessman Dr Tengane Thomas Ntuli R900,000, the same businessman who has accused him of extorting about R2 million from him.

Sibanyoni told the commission that the payment was a contribution towards a business venture involving the proposed upgrade of the Moloto Road through Kwaggafontein.

“I contributed R900,000 to the business and to him,” Sibanyoni said.

The messages, recovered from the phone of Sibanyoni’s associate, Bafana “King of the Sky” Sindane, have emerged as a key part of the commission’s examination of alleged criminal syndicate links in the mining sector.

Sibanyoni has previously denied involvement in Jothan Msibi’s alleged Gauteng cartel, which he referred to as “the farm”.

Msibi, a prominent figure in the taxi industry, died in 2024.

In his statement to the commission, Sibanyoni said he had partnered with Msibi on taxi-related ventures but maintained that his leadership of the taxi industry should not be confused with control of the alleged criminal network.

“I have succeeded as the leader of the taxi industry, which must be distinguished from leading the farm and wielding the power that flows from it,” Sibanyoni said.

But messages sent to Sindane in January 2025 have raised questions about alleged payments from contractors.

Commission evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson told the inquiry the messages suggested a contractor who had previously paid protection money to Msibi was now approaching Sibanyoni.

Despite the allegations, Sibanyoni is challenging the admissibility of the WhatsApp messages as evidence.