Mpumalanga taxi boss Joe ‘Ferrari’ Sibanyoni arrested – IOL

Mpumalanga police have arrested taxi industry figure Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni and two other suspects in connection with an extortion case.

The operation took place early Tuesday morning, when heavily armed officers took Sibanyoni into custody at his residence. Colonel Mavela Masondo, a spokesperson for the Mpumalanga police, confirmed that the arrests were carried out by members of the Mpumalanga SAPS Organised Crime unit.

According to Masondo, the extortion charges were laid in Kwaggerfontein in 2025. The three suspects currently in police custody are between 46 and 60 years old. Police officials have indicated that one suspect in the case remains outstanding.

While the current proceedings focus on extortion, Masondo stated that authorities cannot rule out the possibility that the suspects may face additional charges. The detainees are believed to be held in police custody in Middelburg.

Sibanyoni is a prominent figure in the taxi industry and has been linked to the “Sizeable Five” cartel, a group implicated in corruption, murders and taxi-related violence within the Gauteng taxi industry. His name was also implicated during the Madlanga Commission.

In 2022, Sibanyoni was involved in an attempted murder investigation. That case centered on a white BMW linked to suspects who allegedly wanted him killed, including businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.

The suspects are scheduled to appear in the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.