Taxi boss Joe 'Ferrari' Sibanyoni testified at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in Pretoria on September 21, 2026, denying allegations of hiring hitmen or having corrupt ties with police officers. Sibanyoni, a transport and taxi tycoon from Mpumalanga, claimed he had never hired hitmen or izinkabi (contract killers) and had never had an improper relationship with South African Police Service (SAPS) members. He is facing extortion and cartel allegations.
Sibanyoni described an 'avalanche' of deaths among persons known to him, including the 2022 murder of Oupa 'DJ Sumbody' Sefoka and the attempted murder of Seunkie 'DJ Vettys' Mokubung in 2024. He attributed these incidents to his involvement in the taxi industry and alleged threats to his life. Sibanyoni previously told the commission that there had been two attempts on his life, in 2006 and 2022, allegedly orchestrated by Jothan Msibi and Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala, respectively.
Sibanyoni defended his relationships with police officers and private security companies, stating they were legitimate and driven by security threats. He cited his relationship with Warrant Officer Bhokgolo Mahlangu, a serving police officer and 'homeboy,' who had access to his Centurion Golf Estate residence. Sibanyoni argued that the access was a security measure, not evidence of an improper police relationship.
The commission presented 675 pages of cellphone evidence seized during criminal proceedings, which Sibanyoni challenged. He disputed how some WhatsApp exchanges were presented, arguing that forwarded messages could create a wrong impression. Sibanyoni sought to contextualize several messages, including 'Dogs are coming and jogging' and 'The dog is dead,' which he claimed were colloquial references to jogging and an incident.
Sibanyoni explained that the term izinkabi, used in one of the WhatsApp messages, referred to people who protected taxi ranks and operators, not necessarily hitmen or contract killers. He also clarified that sharing a 'killers' number' referred to a person known as 'Ximba,' a nickname for Nkosana 'Killer' Ximba, a former Crime Intelligence member.
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has identified Msibi as president of 'The Farm,' a network allegedly overseeing the so-called Big Five cartels and linked to extortion, murder, and tender fraud. Sibanyoni faces charges of extortion and money laundering in the Kwaggafontein Magistrates' Court in Mpumalanga, allegedly extorting over R2-million in protection fees from a mining businessman.
The commission will further interrogate the evidence presented, and Sibanyoni was allowed to read his 80-page supplementary affidavit with minimal interruptions. His next appearance has not been scheduled. Sibanyoni maintains that he remains active in business and still serves as executive leader of the South African Local and Long Distance Taxi and Bus Organisation.
Key points
- Sibanyoni denies allegations of hiring hitmen or having corrupt police ties.
- The taxi boss describes an 'avalanche' of deaths among persons known to him.
- Sibanyoni challenges the commission's use of cellphone evidence, arguing that forwarded messages create a wrong impression.
