The investigating team in the R2.2 million extortion case against taxi boss Joe Ferrari Sibanyoni has received threats, the Delmas Magistrate’s Court heard on Tuesday.
Sibanyoni, alongside Bafana Sindane, Daniel Masilela and Philemon Msiza, faces charges of allegedly extorting more than R2.2m in “protection fees” from mining and road construction businessperson Tengane Thomas Ntuli between 2022 and 2025.
Ntuli received a government contract to provide stone materials for the R573 Moloto Road project. Sibanyoni demanded a R100 000-a-month protection fee from Ntuli for him to operate in Mpumalanga.
The prosecutor, Mokgoro Phaladi, emphasised that the state was not accusing Sibanyoni and his co-accused of threatening investigators but wanted the matter placed on record.
“We received a concern from the investigating team that they are receiving threats related to this case,” Phaladi said. “However, we are not insinuating, or making allegations or any inferences. But also we want to place on record that if there is anything related to this case, it must come to an end. We still have a long journey to go in dealing with this matter.”
The state alleges that the accused threatened to violently disrupt Ntuli’s operations if he failed to pay the money. He was ordered to pay R100 000 a month to MJ and Sons, a company belonging to Sibanyoni.
During the court proceedings, the state raised concerns about threats received by the investigating team as the court considered changes to the accused’s bail conditions. The four men remain out on bail of R70 000 each.
The court agreed to relax their police reporting requirements from weekly to monthly.
“The bail condition of my agreement is to be relaxed, that they can report once a month,” Phaladi said.
Representing Sibanyoni and his co-accused, advocate Shaun Abrahams, the former National Prosecuting Authority head, distanced his clients from any alleged intimidation of witnesses or investigators.
“My instructions are to place on record that my clients, Mr Sibanyoni and MJ and Sons, distance themselves entirely from any issues relating to any threats that have been directed to anybody in his matter or any other matter,” Abrahams said.
Abrahams said the defence had received the docket and understood that the investigation had been concluded.
“We have also agreed to a round table as the defence together with the prosecution to determine what has been discovered to date and what is outstanding to eliminate any unnecessary litigation on this all important issue,” Abrahams said.
The defence expressed frustration with the state’s failure to provide a finalised charge sheet and complete disclosure of the docket.
The state requested a postponement to allow for outstanding investigations and the disclosure of further particulars required by the defence.
Phaladi said the parties had agreed to a postponement until 20 April 2027. The magistrate marked the postponement as final for further investigations.