Joe Sibanyoni extortion case back on roll, court tomorrow
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has successfully reinstated the high-profile extortion and money laundering case against Mpumalanga taxi boss Joe ‘Ferrari’ Sibanyoni and his three co-accused. The accused are now expected to present themselves before the Kwaggafontein Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, 27 May 2026.
The case, which involves alleged extortion amounting to R2 million, was struck off the roll-on 18 May 2026 by Chief Magistrate Tuletu Tonjeni due to an “unreasonable delay” caused by the absence of state prosecutor Mkhuseli Ntaba. Magistrate Tonjeni also issued a warrant of arrest for Ntaba for contempt of court at the same proceeding.
However, the NPA moved swiftly. On 22 May 2026, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the Mpumalanga Division filed an application for leave to appeal both the contempt conviction and the arrest warrant. By operation of law, filing that application automatically suspended the contempt order and warrant against Ntaba pending the appeal’s outcome. Crucially, the DPP also used its statutory power to grant written authorisation to reinstate the criminal charges, effectively putting the extortion and money laundering case back on the court roll.
NPA spokesperson Adv Mthunzi Mhaga confirmed the development, stating that the removal of the case “does not amount to a collapse of the prosecution,” echoing comments from National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi. The NPA has since suspended Ntaba pending internal processes and appointed a senior counsel team to advise on the matter.
As background, Sibanyoni and his co-accused – Mvimbi Masilela, Philemon Msiza, and Bafana Oupa Sindane – originally walked out of court amid jubilation on 18 May after the case was struck off. That relief is now short-lived. The NPA argued that the magistrate could have postponed the matter instead of striking it off, and is currently awaiting written reasons from Magistrate Tonjeni to bolster its appeal.
What’s Next
Tomorrow, Sibanyoni and his co-accused are legally obliged to appear in the Kwaggafontein Magistrate’s Court. If the appeal against the striking off and the contempt ruling ultimately succeeds, the case will proceed to trial. For now, the four accused remain free but are expected to hand themselves over to court authorities at the start of tomorrow’s proceedings.
UPDATE: A warrant of arrest was issues and Sibanyoni and co-accused handed themselves in this morning. The NPA has also confirmed that the prosecutor received death threats prior to his disappearance. The four arrested are in court today.
