Joe Sibanyoni Faces New Asset Restraint Order as Legal Troubles Deepen

The State has obtained a High Court order that limits what can be done with assets linked to Mpumalanga taxi boss Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni. The order adds to the legal trouble he is already facing.

The restraint order is dated September 25, 2026, and was issued under South Africa’s Prevention of Organised Crime Act, known as POCA. It covers property listed in an annexure attached to the order. Under its terms, none of the restrained assets may be disposed of unless the State gives written consent or the court gives permission.

According to the court document, the order applies to immovable properties and motor vehicles. The properties stay under the control of the relevant parties, but only under the conditions set out in the order. If any of the restrained properties is rented out, the relevant respondent must tell the State’s attorneys and pay the rental income into a designated bank account. Proof of payment must also be provided.

The vehicles may stay with the relevant defendants until the return date, or until a curator bonis or another person approved by the court is appointed to manage them. During that time, the vehicles may not be sold, transferred, used as security, damaged, hidden or otherwise disposed of without the court’s permission.

A restraint order is meant to keep property in place while legal proceedings continue. It does not prove that every asset listed is the proceeds of crime, and it is not a final forfeiture.

Sibanyoni is a major figure in the minibus taxi industry and president of the South African Local and Long Distance Taxi and Bus Organisation. He is also facing a criminal case. He and three co-accused are charged with extortion and money laundering. The charges relate to claims that more than R2.2 million in protection fees was demanded from a businessman between 2022 and 2025. The accused have denied the allegations.

The matter was postponed in the Delmas Magistrates’ Court on October 20, 2026, to April 20, 2027. The State told the court that its investigations are still going on, including inquiries involving the South African Revenue Service.

Sibanyoni has also given evidence before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, where his business dealings and alleged links to criminal networks have come under scrutiny. Claims made during the commission’s proceedings remain untested unless they are proven through the proper legal process.

The restraint order is another step in the case against Sibanyoni. What happens to the restrained property will depend on later court proceedings and any further orders.

Source: https://x.com/zanewsflash/status/2115763412793987132?s=46

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