Adv Chaskalson Grill & Expose Sibanyoni on meeting with Ramaphosa and Mantashe about Putco.

High-Stakes Standoff Erupts at Commission Inquiry Over Secret Deals and Threatening Public Demands

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A tense and fiery exchange unfolded during the commission inquiry as Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni faced intense cross-examination regarding his high-level political interactions, private corporate negotiations, and explicit public warnings delivered to the highest offices in the country.

The inquiry began by examining digital evidence from file four, specifically a January 2024 photograph showing Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni alongside the President and Minister Gwede Mantashe during an electioneering visit to traditional and royal houses.

Under questioning, Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni confirmed that the man standing directly between himself and the President in the photograph was his personal security detail, Mawana.

Evidence leaders established that the photograph was officially transmitted to Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni by Sergeant Nkosi on January 19, 2024.

The commission then transitioned to reviewing a video recording from file one, page 218, filmed on the exact same day in January 2024, capturing Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni directly addressing the President and Minister Gwede Mantashe.

In the video footage played for the commission, Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni was seen forcefully telling the President that the local business sector demanded a direct role in the economic infrastructure of the former Kwandebele homeland.

Addressing the President directly in the video, Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni stated: “We have been engaging with Putco within the space. Putco has been operating here for 43 years. Please assist us. When you find someone wanting to interfere with the Putco part of business, you must know it’s us. Don’t put the red tape. Assist us as how do we get into the space? We are fighting for our own 30% within the section. It is gazetted that the 30% belong to the people of Kwandebele. We don’t need any red tape. If they don’t follow that, we will fight for ourselves. We will go and visit them. Don’t mind, don’t worry. It’s fine. We’ll go there to the mines”.

Evidence leader Mr. Chaskalson stopped the video and pressed Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni on the exact nature of his interactions with bus operator Putco and its chief executive officer, Mr. Pissaschia.

Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni testified that he had held multiple private meetings with Mr. Pissaschia in an effort to secure a 30 percent local content stake in Putco’s transport operations.

Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni claimed that Mr. Pissaschia initiated the meetings to seek local political assistance in converting Putco’s temporary month-to-month government contract into a long-term contract.

According to Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni, Putco asserted that it could not execute a formal 30 percent subcontracting agreement while operating strictly on a month-to-month arrangement with the government.

When asked who he was representing during these negotiations, Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni insisted he was not acting for himself personally, but was speaking on behalf of the local business community, the king, and the Zunza traditional authority.

Pressed to identify the specific corporate entity set to receive the 30 percent stake, Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni named a taxi industry bus company called GCBS.

Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni identified Mr. Perry as a key director of GCBS, while initially mentioning a second, unnamed transport entity operating in the area.

After failing under repeated questioning to identify the owners, directors, or executives of the second entity, Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni formally requested to withdraw his reference to the second group and confirmed he was negotiating solely on behalf of GCBS.

The evidence leader then questioned Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni on whether he had ever engaged in business dealings with the Paruk family.

Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni denied ever conducting business with the Paruk family, though he admitted knowing of them and stated that one of his friends was a business partner to the Paruk family.

When asked by the panel to provide the name of this friend, Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni claimed he could only remember him by a Zulu name, then abruptly claimed he had forgotten the man’s name entirely despite knowing him very well.

The inquiry shifted to analyzing a photograph from page 214, taken in 2023 at a clubhouse in Centurion during private deliberations between local representatives and Putco management.

Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni verified the identities of the individuals in the photograph, confirming the presence of Mr. Nkabinde, secretary of the TIC local municipality business forum; Bafana Sindani; Mr. Sekhula from Putco operations; Mr. N. Mahlangu representing the Zunza Tribal Authority; Putco CEO Mr. Pissaschia; Mr. Perry of GCBS; and Mr. Masangangu, also known as Mr. Masanabo, of the local business forum.

Evidence leaders pointed out that Mr. Masangangu was the same individual who previously sent dancing emojis in response to a digital post referencing a “new sheriff in town”.

The commission grilled Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni on his public declaration to the President that “when you find someone wanting to interfere with the Putco business, you must know it’s us”.

Mr. Chaskalson challenged Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni on the aggressive nature of the word “interfere”, arguing there is a vast legal and practical difference between conducting business negotiations and interfering with a corporate entity.

In response, Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni claimed that in his personal understanding of English, “interfering” and “engaging” meant the exact same thing, attributing the friction to differing interpretations of “the queen’s language”.

The Commission Chair intervened, suggesting Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni was equating the two terms only because he was in an untenable position and could not legitimately justify his use of the word “interference”.

Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni eventually conceded to replacing the word “interference” with “engagement” to allow the proceedings to continue, while maintaining his actions were not intended in a bad way.

When asked what steps his forum would have taken if Putco had flatly rejected their 30 percent demand, Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni claimed he would have taken them to court rather than physically blocking their operations.

However, Joseph Bafana Sibanyoni confirmed under oath that despite his public declarations to the President, GCBS never took Putco to court, and Putco never granted the 30 percent route allocation.

Adv Chaskalson Grill & Expose Sibanyoni on meeting with Ramaphosa and Mantashe about Putco.

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