Former Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga has moved to set the record straight after Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni told the Madlanga Commission that she knew about alleged cartel activities.
Image: File
Former Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga has rejected claims by Mpumalanga taxi boss Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni that she was aware of alleged cartel activities linked to the taxi industry.
She said their only meeting in 2023 concerned an operational grievance involving his taxis.
Chikunga, who is currently the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, moved to clarify the nature of her meeting with Sibanyoni.
Appearing before the commission on Friday, Sibanyoni claimed he had attempted to lift the lid on alleged cartel activities at the Gauteng farm of late taxi mogul Jothan Msibi.
Sibanyoni said he spoke with Chikunga about the matter in 2023 and told the commission she knew about the alleged cartel.
He reportedly told the commission that, “most constitutionally troubling, Chikunga disclosed that she was aware certain officials within the Department of Transport had divided allegiances.”
According to Sibanyoni, she said some officials “answered not to me, answered not to the department, but to the farm”.
Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities spokesperson Cassius Selala said in a statement Chikunga considered it necessary to place the facts “squarely and unambiguously on record”, given the seriousness of proceedings before the commission and the public interest in the testimony being presented.
In the statement, Chikunga confirmed she met with Sibanyoni once during her tenure as minister of transport, at his request, because his taxis were not operating at the time.
She disputed his claims that their discussion was about organised crime syndicates.
“The meeting took place at Mr Sibanyoni's request and concerned a specific operational grievance relating to the non-operation of his taxis.”
“Mr Sibanyoni was accompanied at that meeting by the Chief Executive Officer of one of the road entities. The engagement was limited to the operational matter that had been raised with the Minister,” Selala said.
Selala said there were no other meetings, discussions, telephone calls or other communications between Chikunga and Sibanyoni, either before or after that engagement.
“It is therefore categorically incorrect to attribute to Minister Chikunga any broader conversation or knowledge of matters that Mr Sibanyoni has subsequently raised in his testimony.”
“Minister Chikunga did not discuss with Mr Sibanyoni, and does not know of, any alleged divided allegiances within the Department of Transport or any alleged private individual operating from a farm outside Pretoria.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, no such statement was made by Minister Chikunga to Mr Sibanyoni or to any other person.”
Selala said Chikunga respected the Madlanga Commission, its mandate and the importance of its work in establishing the truth.
“It is precisely because testimony before a Commission of this standing is given under oath and carries significant public weight that the factual record must be protected from inaccuracies, conflation or statements that may create an impression that is not supported by fact.”
“Minister Chikunga has nothing to conceal regarding her interaction with Mr Sibanyoni. She has therefore chosen to correct the record directly and unequivocally.”
“The facts are simple: there was one meeting, it was requested by Mr Sibanyoni, it concerned an operational grievance regarding his taxis, and the matters now attributed to Minister Chikunga were neither discussed nor known to her.”
“Minister Chikunga remains committed to the integrity of public institutions and to ensuring that the truth is established through a fair, credible and evidence-based process,” Selala added.
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