Sibanyoni granted bail as NPA revives extortion case

Taxi boss Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni has been granted bail by the Delmas Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga, as the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) officially re-enrolled a R2.2 million extortion and money laundering case against him and three co-accused. The magistrate stated that the Schedule 5 bail application was not opposed by the state and that releasing the applicants was in the interests of justice.

The matter is set to return to court on September 1. The case had been previously struck off the roll after state prosecutor Mkhuseli Ntaba failed to appear for a scheduled bail hearing on May 18. Ntaba cited threats to his life while traveling to court and has since been placed on precautionary leave.

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This is a Schedule 5 bail application, which is not opposed by the state. The court, having considered all the evidence before it, is satisfied that all the applicants have satisfied the court that it is in the interests of justice that they be released on bail and bail is therefore granted.

Sibanyoni, along with Bafana Oupa Sindane, Mvimbi Masilela, and Philemon Msiza, faces charges of allegedly coercing mining entrepreneur Tengani Ntuli, director of Tengane Mining, into paying “protection fees” between 2022 and 2025. Sibanyoni had also filed papers in the Mbombela High Court seeking to halt his imminent arrest after the NPA re-enrolled the matter and issued an arrest warrant.

NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago expressed satisfaction that the case is back on the court's roll and will proceed. He confirmed the prosecutor's suspension remains in place and that the authority is challenging a contempt order that barred the prosecutor from practicing. A source close to the Mail & Guardian suggested new information links the magistrate who initially struck the case off the roll to the alleged extortion group.

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We are happy as the NPA that the matter is now back on the roll and therefore it can now proceed accordingly.