The National Prosecuting Authority filed an application Friday to appeal a contempt-of-court conviction and arrest warrant against prosecutor Mkhuseli Ntaba [1].

The legal maneuver comes as the state struggles to manage a high-profile extortion case involving businessman and taxi boss Joe "Ferrari" Sibanyoni. The clash between the prosecution and the judiciary highlights internal tensions within the Mpumalanga legal system.

The application was filed on May 22, 2026 [1]. It follows orders handed down on Monday, May 19, 2026 [1], by the Kwaggafontein Magistrate’s Court in Mpumalanga province [1]. The NPA and the Mpumalanga Director of Public Prosecutions, Sonja Josiah Ntuli, are challenging the magistrate's decision to penalize Ntaba for his absence during proceedings.

According to the NPA, the order was improper. The authority said the prosecutor's absence was related to procedural issues within the broader extortion case involving Sibanyoni and other alleged taxi bosses [1], [2], [3].

This legal friction follows a period of instability in the case. Reports indicate that disciplinary action regarding a prosecutor had been announced as early as May 18, 2026 [4]. The court's decision to issue an arrest warrant against a state prosecutor is a rare and severe escalation in South African magistrate courts.

The NPA is now seeking leave to appeal these orders to prevent the execution of the warrant and clear Ntaba's record. The case remains centered on the extortion allegations against the taxi industry figures, a sector often associated with significant volatility and influence in the region [1], [2].

“The NPA seeks to overturn the magistrate’s contempt conviction and arrest warrant against Ntaba.”

The appeal represents a critical attempt by the National Prosecuting Authority to maintain the authority of its officers while managing a volatile case involving powerful industry figures. A failure to overturn the contempt conviction could create a legal precedent that weakens the standing of state prosecutors in the face of judicial frustration over procedural delays.