Joe ‘Ferrari’ Sibanyoni grilled over ‘interference’ with Putco after Ramaphosa ‘confrontation’ [VIDEO]
The taxi boss had warned to the president that local operators would interfere with Putco buses if their demand were not addressed.
![Joe ‘Ferrari’ Sibanyoni grilled over ‘interference’ with Putco after Ramaphosa ‘confrontation’ [VIDEO]](/img/10938770)
Taxi entrepreneur Joe "Ferrari" Sibanyoni appeared before the Madlanga commission on September 30, 2026, to address accusations of interference with Putco, a bus service in Mpumalanga. Sibanyoni spoke about his meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa and Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe in January 2024, where he demanded 30% of Putco's routes for local businesses.
Sibanyoni claimed that the short-term nature of Putco's contract made it difficult for the company to offer the requested stake to local operators. He denied personally seeking a share of the routes, stating that he spoke on behalf of the Gijima Consortium Bus Service (GCBS), a bus operator owned by individuals in the taxi industry.
When asked about the consequences if Putco rejected his request for 30%, Sibanyoni said he would have taken the matter to court, maintaining that his use of the term "interference" was not meant negatively. Commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga challenged Sibanyoni about the number of taxi associations operating along the route, revealing that Putco reported over 350 bus blockades between October 2024 and January 2025.
Sibanyoni accepted the characterization of these incidents as interference but denied any connection with the taxi operators involved, stating that their vehicles had Mpumalanga registration plates, while his taxis carried Gauteng and Limpopo plates.
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