R500m Moloto Road Deal Exposed — Sibanyoni Warns Sindane There’s A New Sheriff In Town

A brazen WhatsApp message threatening to upend a R500-million government road contract sent shockwaves through Gauteng’s infrastructure corridors this week, after senior political operative Sibanyoni fired off a direct warning to Sindane that the lucrative Moloto Road deal now had new strings attached. The message, seen by this publication, left no room for misinterpretation — power had shifted, loyalties were being tested, and money was moving. Sibanyoni typed the words himself: there is a new sheriff in town.

At the centre of this controversy sits a contractor who allegedly secured a sizeable portion of the Moloto Road upgrade tender, one of the most contested infrastructure projects currently active in Tshwane. This individual had previously operated under the patronage network of Msibi, allegedly reporting directly to Msibi’s Farm outside Soshanguve to collect approvals, referrals, and Soshanguve-based municipal contracts. Sibanyoni’s communication allegedly served notice that such arrangements were finished — replaced by fresh gatekeeping under his own authority.

“We are aware of the correspondence and an internal review has been launched,” a senior official within the relevant oversight structure confirmed on Tuesday, declining to elaborate further on the scope of any formal probe. SAPS members attached to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation have not yet publicly confirmed receipt of a complaint, though community accountability monitors told this reporter that whistleblowers had already reached out to law enforcement channels.

Msibi’s influence over Soshanguve construction work stretches back several tender cycles, with multiple community sources describing the Farm as an informal clearing house where contractors would present paperwork, receive guidance, and negotiate percentages before submitting bids through official channels. That arrangement reportedly generated significant wealth for a tight inner circle while legitimate small businesses from Ward 94 and surrounding zones remained frozen out of government spending.

One local subcontractor, who ferried sand and stone to Moloto Road worksites for three seasons, recalled sitting in a bakkie outside the Farm’s gate for two hours waiting for a phone call that never arrived — money he needed for school fees already spent on diesel.

What remains unanswered tonight is whether Sibanyoni’s message constitutes extortion, political muscle-flexing, or something investigators will eventually classify far more seriously — and who else received exactly the same warning?

https://x.com/i/status/2104515470015492463

Jennifers [email protected]