Prominent Taxi Boss Bafana Sindane Identified As Fourth Suspect in Mpumalanga Extortion Case
- The South African Police Service confirmed who the fourth suspect was in an extortion case in Mpumalanga
- Bafana Sindane, a multimillionaire taxi boss who was also allegedly in a relationship with Amanda du Pont, appeared in court
- Four individuals, including prominent Mpumalanga taxi boss Joe Sibanyoni, appeared in court on charges of extortion
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Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
MPUMALANGA – The fourth suspect arrested in an extortion and money laundering case in Mpumalanga has been identified as Bafana Sindane.
Sindane, who is more popularly known as the “King of the Sky”, is a prominent multimillionaire taxi boss. Sindane handed himself over to police in relation to the case and will appear alongside Joe Sibanyoni, Mvimbi Daniel Masilela and Philemon Msiza in the Kwaggafontein Magistrate's Court on 15 May 2026.
Sibanyoni, another prominent taxi boss, was arrested on 12 May 2026 alongside Masilela and Msiza. At that stage, police indicated that they were looking for a fourth suspect but did not indicate who that was.
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The four face charges of extortion and money laundering after a Mpumalanga businessman alleged that the suspects threatened to shut down his business unless he paid them money.
Who is Sindane?
Based in Gauteng, the multimillionaire taxi boss is no stranger to the headlines. Sindane has built a massive transport empire rooted which is rooted in the taxi industry. He is widely known for his public displays of luxury, frequently showing off his collection of supercars.
His fleet of luxury vehicles includes Porsches, Ferraris and Lamborghinis.
Sindane is also no stranger on the entertainment side of things due to his alleged relationship with South African actress and businesswoman Amanda Du-Pont.
The taxi boss reportedly funded a luxury lifestyle for du-Pont, spending hundreds of thousands of rands on her, as well as purchasing designer clothing, gifting her vehicles and paying for fancy holidays for her.
The high-profile relationship caused a stir online after Sindane’s wife took to social media and public channels to expose the affair. Du Pont soon trended on social after the arrest, as South Africans recalled her ties to Sindane.
Source: Twitter
Case postponed against extortion suspects
Following lengthy proceedings on Friday, 15 May 2026, the matter was postponed until 18 May 2026 for the continuation of the bail hearing. The matter was originally postponed to Friday for another magistrate to take over the case and for the accused to possibly launch a formal bail application, which they did.
Advocate Shaun Abrahams unhappy with Sibanyoni's arrest
In a related article, Advocate Shaun Abrahams weighed in on the National Prosecuting Authority's handling of Joe Sibanyoni's case.
Briefly News noted that Abrahams is a former National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) and is now representing the Mpumalanga taxi boss.
South Africans took to social media to weigh in on the case and Abrahams' comments about the organisation he previously led,
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Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
