A well-known Mpumalanga taxi boss, Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni, is among three men arrested in a coordinated police crackdown on extortion linked to a long-running case in Kwaggafontein involving alleged intimidation and repeated financial demands made to a businessman.
He is linked to alleged underworld figures including Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala.
The arrests were carried out in the early hours of Tuesday in Gauteng and Mpumalanga by the South African Police Service (SAPS) Organised Crime Unit, targeting suspects aged between 46 and 60.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Masondo said the case stems from allegations that the suspects repeatedly demanded money from a businessman over an extended period before he eventually reported the matter at the Kwaggafontein Police Station in 2025.
The case was escalated to the Mpumalanga Organised Crime Unit, which led the investigation and subsequent arrests.
Masondo confirmed that all three suspects are expected to appear in the Kwaggafontein Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, May 13, facing charges of extortion. One suspect remains at large.
“One suspect remains outstanding. At this stage the Police cannot rule out the possibility of adding more charges against the arrested suspects in relation to other cases, as the investigation continues.”
Masondo said specialised units are working to dismantle extortion networks and urged victims to come forward.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi, later confirmed the operation and praised officers for their cross-provincial coordination.
“The arrest of these suspects sends a clear message that extortion will not be tolerated. Business owners and communities must be able to operate without fear of intimidation and criminal demands,” said Mkhwanazi.
Mkhwanazi urged victims of extortion to step forward and report cases, saying SAPS has specialised units dedicated to investigating such crimes and ensuring those responsible are brought to justice.
Sibanyoni’s name has surfaced in testimony and submissions linked to the Madlanga Commission, where evidence has examined alleged links between the taxi industry, business interests and law enforcement figures. He has been mentioned in the broader context of alleged informal influence networks, rather than any formal findings against him.
Suspended SAPS sergeant Fannie Nkosi told the commission that City of Tshwane CFO Gareth Mnisi knew of taxi boss Joe Sibanyoni and had interacted with him within a wider network of contacts. Nkosi said Sibanyoni was never present in meetings with senior police officials and denied any coordinated engagements between them.
Nkosi added that his relationship with Sibanyoni was not concealed, though he acknowledged inconsistencies in earlier statements about the frequency of their meetings, saying his interactions did not extend into formal or operational dealings.
The Star
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