Controversial Taxi Boss Bafana Sindane Blames Flu and Hypertension for Sudden Madlanga Commission Delay
In a dramatic, last-minute twist, prominent taxi boss Bafana “King of the Sky” Sindane failed to appear before the Madlanga Commission on Wednesday morning after calling in sick just hours before his scheduled testimony.
Sindane’s legal team formally requested a postponement, informing the commission that the taxi tycoon is currently incapacitated by severe sinus, flu-like symptoms, and uncontrollable hypertension. A medical certificate was reportedly submitted to the panel to validate his sudden illness.
The medical excuse arrives amid an escalating, high-stakes legal strategy by Sindane to shield himself from the inquiry. On Tuesday night, his lawyers filed an urgent application in the Pretoria High Court to challenge the validity of the subpoena compelling him to testify. Crucially, the court application also seeks to block the commission from accessing highly sensitive material seized from his personal cellphone, including his private WhatsApp communications.
The sudden illness and parallel legal blitz follow a gruelling Monday session at the commission, during which Sindane’s close associate and fellow taxi industry figure, Joe “Ferrari” Sibanyoni, was subjected to intense scrutiny over intercepted WhatsApp exchanges between the two men. The commission revealed that some of these messages allegedly made direct references to hitmen.
While Sibanyoni used his time on the stand to offer his own explanations for the volatile conversations, Sindane’s impending testimony was expected to heavily cross-examine those versions.
The stakes extend far beyond the commission’s hearing room. Both Sindane and Sibanyoni are currently co-accused in a separate criminal case involving extortion and money-laundering. Access to the cellphone data could have sweeping ramifications for both the inquiry and their pending criminal trial.
At the time of publication, the Madlanga Commission remained in session, debating whether to grant the medical postponement or compel Sindane’s legal team to provide further undertakings.