The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) has obtained a provisional restraint order covering assets estimated to be worth R99 million linked to Mpumalanga taxi boss Johannes “Joe Ferrari” Sibanyoni and four other individuals.
The order was obtained on 28 September 2026 by the AFU in the Mpumalanga Division of the High Court in Middelburg under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act.
NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago confirmed that the restrained assets include luxury vehicles, residential properties, bank accounts and investments allegedly linked to the proceeds or benefits of criminal activities.
The properties include homes in exclusive golf estates and other residential developments in Centurion and Pretoria.
The vehicles covered by the order include Ferraris, a Porsche, a Lexus, Mercedes-Benz models and BMWs. The defendants have also been ordered to surrender relevant bank accounts and investments to a court-appointed curator.
Order linked to alleged extortion
According to the NPA, the restraint order follows ongoing investigations into alleged extortion and related offences involving Sibanyoni and others.
Sibanyoni and three co-accused were arrested in May 2026 following a complaint by mining businessman Dr Tengane Thomas Ntuli.
The State alleges that the accused demanded more than R2.2 million in protection payments from Ntuli between 2022 and 2025, including monthly payments of approximately R100,000, in connection with a road construction project along the R573 Moloto Road.
Sibanyoni has denied the extortion allegations, maintaining that the money was linked to a legitimate business arrangement involving his investment in a venture associated with Ntuli’s mining interests.
The criminal case is scheduled to resume in the Delmas Magistrates’ Court in April 2027, with the accused remaining out on bail.
What the restraint order means
A provisional restraint order restricts the defendants from freely dealing with the assets covered by the order while legal proceedings continue. It does not mean the assets have been finally forfeited to the State.
The NPA said the order is intended to prevent individuals from benefiting from the proceeds of alleged criminal activity.
The authority has reiterated its commitment to working with law enforcement agencies to investigate organised crime and pursue assets believed to be linked to criminal proceeds.
The allegations against Sibanyoni and the other defendants have not been proven in court.
