Mpumalanga taxi boss Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni told the Madlanga Commission on Friday that two musicians who were the victims of separate shootings may have been targeted because of their association with him.
Longstanding ties and a broader underworld context
Sibanyoni said he had known Oupa “DJ Sumbody” Sefoka’s father for about 30 years, a relationship that began through involvement in the taxi industry and extended into social circles. He linked the fatal shooting of Sefoka in Johannesburg in 2022 and the attempted murder of Seunkie “DJ Vettys” Mokubung in 2024 to a wider pattern involving people close to him.
“The attempted life of DJ Vettys, and Sefoka being killed, it was a matter of people that are close to me, irrespective of whether they were in the taxi industry or we were socialising together,” Sibanyoni said.
Pressed by commissioners on whether he was asserting the attacks were motivated by the musicians’ proximity to him, Sibanyoni replied: “Correct.”
Investigations amid allegations of a stolen cocaine shipment
The testimony was delivered against a backdrop of criminal investigations into an alleged violent dispute over a stolen R200 million cocaine shipment. Law enforcement agencies have recovered firearms, including an AK-47, which investigators say have been ballistically linked to multiple cases.
Several high-profile killings and attempted killings have been tied to the enquiry, and a number of people are facing serious charges. Among them is Katiso “KT” Molefe, who faces a combined 35 counts including murder, conspiracy to commit murder and possession of unlicensed firearms. His trial is scheduled to begin in the South Gauteng High Court on 26 October 2026.
What Sibanyoni’s testimony may mean locally
- For communities in Mpumalanga with ties to the taxi industry, the testimony underscores how social networks can become entangled with wider criminal activity.
- Families of victims and local residents may seek clarity about whether violence against public figures was targeted for reasons beyond the victims’ professions.
- The link between recovered weapons and multiple incidents points to a pattern investigators will need to prove in court to secure convictions.
Sibanyoni is due to face cross-examination at the commission on 21 September. The commission hearing is one avenue through which investigators and the public can examine the interplay between organised crime and violence affecting public figures and ordinary citizens alike.
Legal and policing developments to watch
Police statements cited by the commission indicate that firearms recovered during the investigations have been forensically connected to several matters. The outcome of the ballistics work and subsequent court processes will be central to the criminal cases pending in the South Gauteng High Court.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Victims mentioned | Oupa “DJ Sumbody” Sefoka (killed 2022); Seunkie “DJ Vettys” Mokubung (shot, 2024) |
| Suspected related crime | Stolen cocaine shipment valued at R200 million |
| Notable recovered weapon | AK-47 (ballistically linked to multiple cases) |
| Key accused | Katiso “KT” Molefe; alleged hitmen Michael Pule Tau, Tiego Floyd Mabisela, Musa Kekana |
| Upcoming trial | South Gauteng High Court, 26 October 2026 |
Community concerns and the role of inquiries
Local residents and industry participants in Mpumalanga will be watching the commission and the criminal trials that follow for clear answers about how violence ripples through communities. Taxi associations have long been both economic lifelines and flashpoints for conflict in some areas; when social ties intersect with criminal networks the consequences can be deadly.
The Madlanga Commission provides a public forum to examine systemic failures and the connections between different episodes of violence. Sibanyoni’s statements place personal relationships at the centre of the narrative, but prosecutors must still establish criminal culpability through evidence in court.
Further hearings will test the claims made at the commission and the work of investigators who have been tracing weapons and financial links across a web of incidents. As those processes continue, affected families and communities will be looking for accountability and improved policing responses to curb organised and violent crime.
