South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), says it is closely monitoring developments involving taxi boss Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni as the organisation weighs whether any leadership changes may be necessary following his arrest on extortion and money laundering allegations.
“So we’re allowing for the legal processes to play out. The good thing about it is the investment arm is not a sole proprietor business where you only have one director so there are many other people who are leading alongside the executive chairman, Mr Sibanyoni.”
“The work has not necessarily stopped because of what’s happened in relation to the chairman of the board so that process is obviously taking its own shape very much different and away from the council and the work that it does,” Santaco national spokesperson Rebecca Phala said on the sidelines of the taxi council’s national elective conference in Boksburg on Monday
Sibanyoni acts as a director for Santaco Trading Pty Ltd, operating as TaxiChoice, and previously spearheaded regional taxi body frameworks.
She said they were closely monitoring developments.
“The leadership will advise should it be that they see a need to make any sort of changes in that particular regard. But until now the work is continuing.
“We are not operating as a sole proprietor. There has not been any crisis in terms of the work that the investment arm is doing despite what’s happening in terms of the case that you’ve mentioned,” she told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika.
This comes as South Africa’s taxi industry is back in the spotlight after the dramatic collapse of an extortion case against influential taxi tycoon Sibanyoni and three co-accused.
Sibanyoni was nicknamed “Ferrari” for his love of the luxury Italian sports car brand.
She said they were closely monitoring developments.
“The leadership will advise should it be that they see a need to make any sort of changes in that particular regard. But until now the work is continuing.
“We are not operating as a sole proprietor. There has not been any crisis in terms of the work that the investment arm is doing despite what’s happening in terms of the case that you’ve mentioned,” she told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika.
This comes as South Africa’s taxi industry is back in the spotlight after the dramatic collapse of an extortion case against influential taxi tycoon Sibanyoni and three co-accused.
Sibanyoni was nicknamed “Ferrari” for his love of the luxury Italian sports car brand
He has come under renewed scrutiny following his arrest over allegations of extortion and money laundering.
Sibanyoni and his co-accused – Bafana Sindane, Mvimbi Masilela and Philemon Msiza – are accused of extorting more than R2.2 million from a mining businessman between 2022 and 2025.
The group allegedly demanded protection fees from the complainant until a case was opened with the South African Police Service (SAPS).
However, the matter was struck off the court roll after prosecutor Mkhuseli Ntaba failed to appear.
Ntaba was later found in contempt of court after missing a scheduled bail hearing on Monday.
According to reports, the prosecutor was on his way to court before allegedly turning back because of “threats
Magistrate Tuletu Tonjeni said she would authorise a warrant for Ntaba’s arrest.
The accused began their bail application proceedings on Friday, and Tonjeni ordered that the hearing continue on Monday.
Sibanyoni’s legal team, led by advocate Shaun Abrahams SC, applied for the matter to be struck from the roll and for Ntaba to be held in contempt of court.
Abrahams argued that action should be taken against the prosecutor.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has since confirmed its plans to re-enrol the extortion case.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo previously said investigators still believed they had a strong case against the four suspects.
“The SAPS has noted that the matter was struck off the court roll after the prosecutor failed to appear in court. The SAPS Mpumalanga Organised Crime Unit maintains that it still has a strong case despite the latest developments,” Masondo said.
He said the investigation was conducted by organised crime investigators, leading to the arrest of the four suspects and the initial enrolment of the case before bail proceedings began.
“Strong evidence against the suspects with regard to the matter remains intact,” he said.
“The SAPS will continue engaging with the National Prosecuting Authority regarding the case.”
Who is Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni?
Sibanyoni rose from modest beginnings to become one of the most influential figures in South Africa’s taxi industry.
He reportedly started working as a taxi driver in 1985 before buying his first taxi a decade later.
Over the years, he built a business empire spanning the taxi industry, bus operations, construction, mining, logistics, information technology and real estate.
Reports estimate his business interests to be worth more than R300 million.
Sibanyoni is believed to operate a transport empire consisting of about 400 minibus taxis across Gauteng and Mpumalanga.
He has also held senior leadership roles within Santaco, including serving as provincial chairperson and deputy president of the organisation.
Despite the allegations surrounding him, Sibanyoni is also known for philanthropic work through the Joe Sibanyoni Foundation (JSF).
The foundation provides food parcels and builds homes for vulnerable communities in Mpumalanga.
Meanwhile, IOL News reported over the weekend that the National Taxi Alliance (NTA) confirmed Sibanyoni was not affiliated with the organisation.
“We have received your inquiry regarding Mr Joe Sibanyoni. However, we can confirm that he was not a member of the NTA. Please reach out to Santaco, as he was a member there,” NTA national spokesperson Theo Malele told IOL News.
Santaco declined to comment.
“We have no comment on all questions as shared,” Phala said.