Joe Sibanyoni reveal meeting with General Mkhwanazi and praising his good work.
Taxi Boss Tells Inquiry How Murder Attempts Forced Secret Meeting With Top Cop Over Assassination Squads
In an extraordinary appearance before the commission of inquiry, high-ranking taxi industry leader Mr. Sibonyi broke his silence regarding his secret April 2024 encounter with General Mkhwanazi, detailing a desperate fight against ruthless contact killers after surviving two direct attempts on his life.
The high-stakes testimony centered on the aftermath of the passing of former industry leader Mr. Chami, an event that triggered widespread instability, violence, and a dangerous leadership vacuum across the national taxi sector.
Mr. Sibonyi testified under oath that he did not seek out the meeting, explaining that General Mkhwanazi himself initiated the engagement through Sergeant Mfingosi, who contacted Mr. Sibonyi directly to schedule the encounter.
Responding to queries about his position, Mr. Sibonyi clarified how he stepped into his primary role after elders of the industry visited his home following the death of Mr. Chami.
Mr. Sibonyi instructed the elders to hold a formal conference rather than simply appointing him at his residence, leading to his official election as president of the South African Local and Long Distance Taxis and Bus Organization during the first Annual General Meeting held after Good Friday.
Addressing the commission, Mr. Sibonyi rejected any characterization that he functioned as a compromised figure deploying hitmen, emphasizing that he sat before the general strictly as a survivor demanding law enforcement intervention.
Mr. Sibonyi recounted how he discussed five to six specific, documented taxi violence cases where police investigations had concluded, yet prosecutions remained stalled or declined at the National Prosecuting Authority level.
During the April 2024 meeting, Mr. Sibonyi confronted General Mkhwanazi over the active deployment of hitmen, known in the industry’s criminal connotation as isinkabi, who had waged terror across the sector up through 2023.
Mr. Sibonyi stated under oath: “I was not a person who deployed. I was a person who had been targeted by them twice”.
The witness described how General Mkhwanazi sat attentively, asked probing questions, and took extensive written notes, contrasting the officer’s diligence with previous political leadership who had offered the moral equivalent of a shrug.
Following that single engagement, Mr. Sibonyi observed visible movement in stalled court prosecutions and a measurable reduction in taxi-related killings.
The testimony then shifted to the network of figures surrounding the late Mr. Chami, with Mr. Sibonyi confirming he only visited the farm of Mr. Chami on two distinct occasions.
The first visit occurred in early December to establish location awareness, while the second visit took place early the following year to map out operational plans and requirements.
Mr. Sibonyi confirmed he encountered neither Mr. Matlala nor Mr. Malefi at the farm, correcting a written error in his statement to clarify that he had previously met Mr. Katlego Molefe strictly at the Woodhill home of Mr. Chami.
When questioned regarding Mr. Steven Motsumi, Mr. Sibonyi affirmed they shared a purely social acquaintance formed around 2012 or 2013 through Mr. Chami, with zero business or financial transactions between them.
A similar social dynamic applied to Mr. Katlego Molefe, whom Mr. Sibonyi met around 2016 or 2017 at the Woodhill Golf Estate residence of Mr. Chami.
Providing background on his bond with Mr. Ignius Mpumi Tagati, Mr. Sibonyi explained they first met around 1990 or 1991 while training at the Health and Racket Club in Houghton, back when Mr. Ignius Mpumi Tagati served as a police officer in the Sandton precinct.
After losing touch following his relocation to Pretoria around 2002 or 2003, Mr. Sibonyi reconnected with Mr. Ignius Mpumi Tagati around 2015 or 2016 at the Woodhill home when Mr. Andrew Chabuma reintroduced them.
Mr. Sibonyi categorized Mr. Ignius Mpumi Tagati as a long-standing friend and colloquial brother, noting that their past joint participation in a traditional savings stockvel carried no corrupt implications and had been terminated years ago.
Mr. Sibonyi further identified Mr. Andrew Chabuma, also known as Mr. Andrew Boy, as a personal friend whom he met at the Woodhill residence around 1996 or 1997.
Regarding Mr. Serge Kabongo, Mr. Sibonyi described him as a loose social acquaintance from the local entertainment scene, ruling out any shared business interests.
Addressing public notices, Mr. Sibonyi declared with absolute clarity that neither he nor any business entity in which he holds an interest as a director, shareholder, or beneficiary has ever conducted business, held contracts, or received purchase orders from the City of Tshwane or the Tshwane Metropolitan Police Department.
Concluding his evidence on the April 2024 meeting, Mr. Sibonyi highlighted the bitter irony that public allegations made by General Mkhwanazi on July 6, 2025, ultimately triggered the creation of the commission.
Mr. Sibonyi expressed profound personal astonishment that the very police general who reached out for his assistance in controlling taxi violence in 2024 later made the public claims that resulted in Mr. Sibonyi appearing under subpoena.
Mr. Sibonyi swore under oath that no money, improper benefits, or unlawful inducements ever passed between himself and General Mkhwanazi, maintaining that their interaction remained a purely legitimate, official law enforcement exercise.
Copyright: Daily Updates ZA
