Sindane's WhatsApp chats are being probed at the Madlanga commission.
General overview at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry at Brigitte Mabandla Judicial College in Pretoria on 22 September 2025. Picture: Gallo Images/Luba Lesolle
Taxi boss Oupa Sindane, known as ‘King of the Sky,’ was thrust into the spotlight at the Madlanga commission as his urgent High Court bid to block the inquiry from using his WhatsApp messages was struck from the roll with punitive costs.
Evidence leaders revealed that Sindane allegedly paid police escorts, received internal reports, and maintained close ties with senior officials, exposing a web of influence between the taxi industry and law enforcement.”
Legal bid
Sindane’s application to prevent the commission from hearing evidence was struck from the roll on Monday, 28 September 2026.
He was expected to testify on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, but his legal team filed an urgent High Court application to block the commission from compelling him to appear.
Sindane also sought to block the commission from using his WhatsApp messages, arguing that his electronic devices contained “deeply private information which had nothing to do with any investigation by the commission or with the charges I face”.
The court dismissed the application with punitive costs.
He was subpoenaed to testify after fellow taxi boss Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni’s testimony, but failed to appear.
Payments to police escorts
Evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson SC told the commission that Sindane had been paying police officers to provide him with escorts.
“It now appears that Sindane was paying various police officers to provide him with police escorts,” Chaskalson said.
WhatsApp messages showed Sindane communicating with retired Major‑General Botsotso Moukangwe, who continued to liaise with him even after leaving the police. In one exchange, Moukangwe asked Sindane to contribute to his farewell function.
“My office is organising my farewell on 28 March 2025… Would you please assist?”
“The relationship between Mr Sindane and General Moukangwe is of sufficient closeness for the general to feel at liberty to ask him to pay for his farewell function,” Chaskalson noted.
Escort chats with “Lepara Saps Highway”
Chaskalson presented further WhatsApp evidence showing Sindane’s chats with a contact saved as “Lepara Saps Highway”.
“There are… other… members who seem to be… at the disposal of Mr Sindane. One sees his chats with someone whom he has saved as Lepara Saps Highway. It seems Lepara is essentially at his disposal to offer him escorts.”
Examples from the chats included:
“My brother, we’re on duty, in case you need us.” (17 July)
“My brother, we’re here on the street. Let us know if you need anything.” (2 August)
“My brother, hope you’re good. We’re on the street. Let us know when you need an escort.”
“And on and on it goes,” Chaskalson added:
Access to internal police reports
The commission heard that Sindane allegedly received internal police reports, including details of shootings and intelligence on criminal networks.
One report concerned the killing of businessman Sphamandla Mabonga in Sandton in March 2025.
“It also appears that someone within the police was feeding internal reports to Sindane,” Chaskalson told the commission.
Links to criminal networks
WhatsApp chats suggest Sindane and Sibanyoni tracked the activities of rival tenderpreneur Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala, who is on trial for attempted murder.
Sindane forwarded media reports on Matlala’s troubles to Sibanyoni and associates.
“There are chats which suggest or create an inference that Sindane and Sibanyoni know more about Matlala’s criminal doings than is learnt from the media, and that they may conceivably be interested in taking over some of those criminal dealings,” Chaskalson said.
Support for convicted hitmen
Sindane and Sibanyoni allegedly paid legal fees for convicted taxi industry hitman Tshegofatso Richmond Makofane (“Morwa”), who was sentenced for organising deadly shootings.
Subpoenaed
Sindane has been subpoenaed to testify before the commission. His evidence is expected to cover over a dozen topics, largely connected to his dealings with Sibanyoni. Initially, his lawyers attempted to postpone his testimony but later abandoned the effort.
The WhatsApp messages and financial dealings presented to the commission show Sindane’s connections to police officers, senior officials, and criminal networks.
Madlanga Commission
His appearance before Justice Madlanga will determine how far those links extended and whether the commission can expose the networks that tie the taxi industry, law enforcement, and organised crime.
Sindane and Sibanyoni are co-accused in an extortion and money-laundering case.
The state alleges that between 2022 and 2025, Sibanyoni, Sindane, Mvimbi Daniel Masilela, and Philemon Msiza forced a businessman operating in the Nkangala district to hand over more than R2.2 million in so-called “protection fees”.
According to the allegations, the businessman was threatened with having his operations shut down if he failed to pay.
Sindane also faces money-laundering charges allegedly connected to the proceeds.
