Taxi boss Joe Ferrari Sibanyoni denied involvement in the Putco bus attacks during his testimony at the Madlanga Commission. Image credit Supplied
Taxi boss Joe Ferrari Sibanyoni has denied any role in the arson attacks on Putco buses in KwaNdebele. During his Joe Sibanyoni Putco testimony at the Madlanga Commission on Wednesday, he rejected claims that he was behind the violence.
Chief evidence leader Advocate Matthew Chaskalson questioned Sibanyoni about the link between his past statements and the attacks. In reply, Sibanyoni said it was not him and asked the commission not to make the matter personal.
What the commission heard about Joe Sibanyoni and Putco
The commission played a video from a 2024 ANC election event in KwaNdebele. In the footage, Sibanyoni tells President Cyril Ramaphosa that anyone who interferes with the Putco business must know that it is them.
At the same event, he demanded a 30% operational stake in Putco for local groups. According to him, that share belonged to the people of KwaNdebele. He also warned that the community would fight for itself if nobody listened.
Furthermore, the commission showed WhatsApp messages in which Sibanyoni pushed officials about the demand. In one of them, he wrote that they were fighting for their own 30% within Putco.
Then, on 27 January 2025, armed men attacked four Putco depots at Moloto, Wolwekraal, Siyabuswa and Vaalbank. The attackers set fire to about 50 buses in one night.
The commission also played CCTV footage from the Moloto depot. It showed armed men holding guards at gunpoint and pouring flammable liquid on the buses. Within about ten minutes, 16 buses were on fire.
In addition, the commission heard that Putco recorded more than 350 incidents of taxi operators blocking its buses between October 2024 and January 2025.
According to Chaskalson, the attacks followed failed talks over the 30% stake. About a month later, a company called Taxichoice made an offer to buy into Putco. However, Sibanyoni rejected this version of events and said he differed with the findings.
Instead, Sibanyoni gave his own account of the 30% demand. He claimed that Putco made a promise to him. According to him, the bus company agreed that if he helped it land long term contracts, the local community would get a 30% local content stake in return.
He also explained what the community hoped to gain from the deal. Sibanyoni said local business people wanted to own their own buses and run them as part of Putco’s network under the local content arrangement.
Furthermore, Sibanyoni said his engagements with Ramaphosa and Minister Gwede Mantashe dealt with legitimate community matters. He also denied asking Putco for payment or kickbacks.
Sibanyoni already faces a separate criminal case with fellow taxi boss Bafana Sindane over alleged extortion and money laundering worth more than R2 million.
For now, the Joe Sibanyoni Putco questioning continues, as the commission tests his version against the evidence.
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