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The Citizen
12 hours ago
- The Citizen
Firearms used in DJ Sumbody's murder linked to 10 other high-profile cases
The four men arrested are also connected to the murder of slain engineer Armand Swart. DJ Sumbody during the 25th South African Music Awards at Sun City in Rustenburg on 1 June 2019. Picture: Gallo Images/Lefty Shivambu The firearms used in the murder of South African artist Oupa John Sefoka, known as DJ Sumbody, have been linked to other high-profile cases, according to police. Four men — Sandton businessman Katiso 'KT' Molefe, former police detective Michael Pule Tau, Musa Kekana and Tiego Floyd Mabusela — appeared in the Alexandra Magistrate's Court on Tuesday. They were arrested on Monday by members of the political killings task team and Gauteng organised crime detectives from the South African Police Service (Saps). The suspects face charges including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm, and possession of illegal ammunition in connection with Sefoka's death. Molefe is believed to have ordered the hit, while his three co-accused allegedly carried it out. Sefoka was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting in Woodmead, Gauteng, on 20 November 2022. His two bodyguards, Sibusiso Mokoena and Sandile Myeza, were also killed at the scene. DJ Sumbody murder case postponed Following the court appearance on Tuesday, Phindi Mjonondwane, regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Gauteng, indicated the case has been postponed to 29 July, with Molefe expected to bring a bail application. 'As the state, we were yet ready to proceed. We are finalising the investigation in terms of the bail application that must be heard by the court. 'So we have been granted that opportunity as the state to conclude those investigations which will include amongst others profiling of the accused who wants to bring the formal bail application,' she told the media. ALSO READ: Police make breakthrough in Ekurhuleni auditor Mpho Mafole's murder Mjonondwane also revealed that Molefe will be held separately from his co-accused at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre in Pretoria. 'The prosecution working together with the investigating officer concluded that it will be best for him to be separated from the other accused who are in Johannesburg prison, also known as Sun City, and the other is at Modderbee Correctional Centre.' She confirmed the state intends to oppose Molefe's bail application. Firearms used to kill DJ Sumbody linked to other murders Molefe, Kekana, Tau, and Mabusela are also implicated in the murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart, who was shot 23 times outside his workplace on 17 April 2024. It is believed the attack was a case of mistaken identity. The intended target had reportedly exposed a Transnet tender price inflation scandal. Swart's murder led to the arrest of the four accused. Molefe was the only one granted bail of R100 000 – after the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria overturned a lower court's denial. READ MORE: Police probe triple murder and attempted double murder in Gugulethu National police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe, said Kekana, Tau, and Mabusela were arrested on the same day Swart was killed. Four firearms – three pistols and one AK-47 – were seized by the police. 'Those firearms have been in custody since. They were immediately seized and taken for ballistics testing. Those three hitmen were arrested on that particular day,' she said. Mathe explained that when the political killings task team joined the investigation in December 2024, a second round of ballistics tests confirmed the firearms were used in Sefoka's murder, resulting in Molefe's arrest as well. 'At this stage, all those four firearms, including the one AK-47, are linked to at least 10 high-profile cases that include murder as well as attempted murder, but we will not discuss those cases as yet,' she told reporters on Tuesday. She also addressed concerns over delays regarding Sefoka's case. 'There are cases that are easy to solve, there are those that are complex and that require time, and I think DJ Sumbody's case is one of those cases that required time because it required that we piece evidence together.' Tebogo Thobejane attempted murder case Mabusela and Kekana are also suspects in the attempted murder of actress and influencer Tebogo Thobejane. Thobejane sustained injuries after her vehicle was ambushed and shot at in October 2023 on the N1 highway near Sandton. Her former partner, controversial businessman Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala, was arrested in connection with the incident, along with his wife Tsakani, who was later released on R20 000 bail. Matlala, Mabusela, and Kekana remain in custody. Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala and his wife Tsakani Matlala appear at Alexandra Magistrate's Court on 11 July 2025. Picture: Gallo Images/Sharon Seretlo A fifth suspect, Nthabiseng Nzama — the daughter of one of the hitmen — has since also been arrested. Mjonondwane confirmed that a 23-year-old woman has been charged with money laundering. 'She will join the rest of the group on the 26th of October 2025 when the matter returns to court.' The NPA declined to provide details regarding her involvement in the Thobejane case at this stage. 'Much of that information will be made clear in court. This was just a first appearance. 'We are yet to hear whether or not she wishes to bring a bail application or not; so that information can only be divulged during that stage,' Mjonondwane said. Fate of the political killings task team Meanwhile, Mathe was also questioned about the future of the political killings task team amid controversy surrounding Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who is currently on special leave. KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged earlier this month that Mchunu ordered the task team's disbandment to protect politically-connected crime syndicate members. Among Mkhwanazi's other claims was that Mchunu had ties to Matlala, who had been awarded a now-terminated R360 million police contract. A commission of inquiry will be established to investigate the allegations, as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa. According to Mathe, the political killings task team is handling historical cases. 'I can confirm that the political killings task team is working on old cases. It has not been taking on new cases.' She added that the commission of inquiry into Saps would determine the future of the task team. NOW READ: Hitman sentenced to life for murder of ANC councillor Zakhele Khuzwayo
IOL News
15 hours ago
- IOL News
DJ Sumbody murder: Four suspects, including hitmen, to appear in court
A Gauteng businessman was arrested on Monday in connection with the grim murder of renowned artist and musician Oupa John Sefoka, famously known as DJ Sumbody. Four suspects connected to the shocking murder of popular South African DJ Oupa John Sefoka, known to his fans as DJ Sumbody, are set to face the Alexandra Magistrate's Court on Tuesday. The suspects, including three hitmen and an alleged mastermind, are facing multiple charges, including the murder of DJ Sumbody and two of his bodyguards, Sibusiso Mokoena and Sandile Myeza. The arrests were made by Gauteng organised crime detectives, who were assisted by the South African Police Service (SAPS) Political Killings Task Team.
The Citizen
15 hours ago
- The Citizen
Four suspects appear in Alexandra Magistrate's Court for DJ Sumbody's murder
Four suspects appear in Alexandra Magistrate's Court for DJ Sumbody's murder Four suspects are expected to appear before the Alexandra Magistrate's Court this morning, facing three counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The charges stem from the November 2022 killing of popular South African DJ Oupa John Sefoka, known as DJ Sumbody, and his two bodyguards, Sibusiso Mokoena and Sandile Myeza.\ Read more: Legal storm brews in Alexandra Magistrate Court The arrest of the men, aged between 45 and 60, was made on Monday afternoon in Gauteng by the South African Police Service (SAPS) Political Killings Task Team, working in collaboration with Gauteng Organised Crime Detectives. According to a SAPS statement, the three suspects are alleged to be hitmen, while the fourth is believed to be the mastermind who ordered the hit. During the operation, authorities seized the weapon allegedly used in the crime, which has also been linked to other murders. National Commissioner of SAPS General Fannie Masemola praised the breakthrough. 'Well done to the teams that have been piecing together evidence since November 2022. This is a culmination of hard work and dedication to justice. This is one of those complex cases, that our teams needed to take their time in ensuring a thorough investigation, so that we could, ultimately, bring a strong case before the court.' He expressed hope that the arrests would bring closure to the families affected by the tragedy. Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
16 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
SAPS Turmoil: Dispelling Trust Deficit In The Judiciary Will Help Restore Confidence
President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga to chair the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into allegations of corruption in the criminal justice system. Can the public pin its trust on the Judicial Commission of Inquiry that was announced by Ramaphosa?, asks the writer. Prof. Bheki Mngomezulu The date Sunday, July 6, 2025, will go down in the annals of South African history as one of the memorable dates in post-apartheid South Africa. It was on this day when Lt-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, convened a media briefing to inform the nation about the alleged rot in the South African Police Service (SAPS). What was of utmost importance with this media briefing was that Mkhwanazi did not just implicate the top brass within SAPS – including Minister Senzo Mchunu and Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, who is the former Head of Hawks in Gauteng. He also implicated the metro police officials, traffic officers and most importantly, prosecutors. As the saying goes, Mkhwanazi ventured even where angels fear to tread. While these allegations are yet to be tested, Mkhwanazi's tone and the evidence he shared with the public make his allegations plausible. Indeed, President Cyril Ramaphosa was abroad when this media briefing happened. But, as would be expected, he was briefed while in South America. By the time he returned to the country, the nation expected him to call his media briefing or to arrange a 'family meeting' so that he could address the nation about an issue he conceded was serious and thus needed urgent attention. Ironically, it was only on July 13, 2025 – exactly a week later that Ramaphosa addressed the nation on this matter. Views differ about the justification of this delay. Some say that the president needed to consult and get all the details before he could speak – which is understandable. Others blame him for delaying unnecessarily while the nation waited impatiently. The latter group assert that Ramaphosa used the 'consultation time' for ill intentions, meant to let people's emotions die down. Whatever the correct explanation might be, it would be difficult to find the president guilty of breaking any law. It was still within his right to apply his mind before taking any action. But being legally or constitutionally correct does not equate being rational. In other words, constitutionality and rationality do not always work together. What is even more interesting is not the delay by the president. Instead, it is what he said when he eventually addressed the nation on July 13. Two things stood out from Ramaphosa's address. The first one was his announcement that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu was being placed on Special leave. This did not come as a surprise since many of us had already justifiably made such a proposal. Mchunu could even have saved his president time by voluntarily stepping aside pending any investigation. Anyway, that is now water under the bridge. The second important announcement by Ramaphosa was that he was appointing a Judicial Commission of Inquiry that will investigate the allegations made by Mkhwanazi. This is what raised eyebrows and triggered several questions. The first question became: Does South Africa need yet another Commission of Inquiry? If so, what purpose will it serve, especially given that there are still many questions about the now defunct Zondo Commission? Does South Africa's current financial position warrant the appointment of more Commissions whose recommendations might not even be implemented? While the many questions posed above are relevant, the most critical one became: can the public pin its trust on the Judicial Commission of Inquiry that was announced by Ramaphosa? For example, was Acting Deputy Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, who will chair the Inquiry, not part of the Phala Phala inquiry? If so, what does that say about public trust, especially given the many questions which still exist regarding the reports that were produced about this incident? Importantly, since Mkhwanazi implicated the judiciary in his allegation, can the judiciary be honest enough to investigate itself or should the President have looked at other options in his bid to verify and authenticate Mkhwanazi's allegations? Should this announced Judicial Commission produce a report which refutes all or most of the claims made by Mkhwanazi, what will the public say? Will the current trust deficit between the public and state institutions be redeemed? If not, where is our country going? Ramaphosa acted in his capacity as the President of the country. But he is also the president of the ANC. So, if this matter is not handled to the satisfaction of many South Africans, what impact will that have on the ANC as an organisation – both in the 2026 Local Government Election (LGE) and the subsequent 2029 general election? Another critical issue is the role of the coalition partners in parliament. Will they be bold enough and honest to put on the parliamentary agenda a debate on this issue, or will they keep quiet and continue enjoying their positions in the coalition even at the expense of the South African people? What about the opposition political parties? Will they keep quiet under the guise that numbers are against them, or will they use proper parliamentary channels to hold the executive and the governing coalition to account? Sometimes it is better to try and fail than to fail to try. Our politicians must never forget that the electorate will always be watching silently when they act or fail to act when they should. Voters will vent their anger at the polls, then politicians will cry fowl and be 'shocked' as if they did not see this coming. People are entitled to their opinions on whether Mkhwanazi was right or wrong by convening the historic media briefing. But what cannot be repudiated is the fact that his address achieved several objectives – both planned and through serendipity. The nation is better informed now than it was before July 6, 2025. In a nutshell, while it is true that Sec 84(2)(f) of our Constitution gives Ramaphosa the right to appoint Commissions of inquiry, this right should be informed by rationality. As a country, we cannot afford to appoint Commissions randomly against prevailing realities. * Prof. Bheki Mngomezulu is Director of the Centre for the Advancement of Non-Racialism and Democracy at Nelson Mandela University. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL, Independent Media or The African.
AFP
17 hours ago
- AFP
Unrelated arrest photo shared in hoax about South African child support fraud
'A 35 year old woman was arrested for collecting child support money from Eight (different men for one child (sic),' reads a Facebook post published on July 12, 2025. The post adds: 'Ms Nancy Mudau from Nzhelele Biaba, Limpopo has been collecting money for 12 years from these Eight (different men who thought they are the father of her child.' The post, shared more than 4,500 times, further claims that by the time the woman was arrested, the money had been used to pay school fees, build a home and start construction on a tavern. Image Screenshot of the false Facebook post, taken on July 21, 2025 The photo included in the post shows a woman facing a South African Police Service (SAPS) van, while being flanked by uniformed officers. Similar claims were shared tens of thousands of times across media platforms, including Instagram, TikTok and X. But the claims are false. No case A reverse image search of the arrest photo revealed that it was posted on the SAPS website on April 5, 2024, in connection with a drug bust in Kimberley, a city in South Africa's Northern Cape province (archived here). 'Three adult male persons, two South Africans and one Nigerian, were arrested in Pampierstad for possession of crystal myth and one female was arrested in Hartswater for being in possession of suspected mandrax tablets,' reads the police statement. Image Screenshot of the image on the SAPS website, taken on July 21, 2025 The false posts claim that the woman was arrested in Limpopo province, approximately 1,000 kilometres from the Northern Cape, where the photo of the woman was taken (archived here). Limpopo police also told AFP Fact Check on July 17, 2025, that they had no arrests matching the claim's description. 'We do not have such a case in Limpopo,' spokesman Malesela Ledwaba said in a WhatsApp message. 2023 hoax A keyword search for 'Woman from Nzhelele, Limpopo Nancy Mudau' on Google links to unverified articles from 2023, including on West African blog sites, including here, here and here. The hoax was reignited this year by a Facebook account called 'Koos de Klerk', which was created in June 2025 and often shares similar fake stories as clickbait with more than 197,000 followers. Most of the posts from this account also link to a job-seeker's website or promote a WhatsApp group ostensibly with the same mission. Image Screenshot showing the promotion of the job seekers' WhatsApp group AFP Fact Check has previously investigated how these job scam adverts are designed to extract cash or steal personal data, taking advantage of unemployed people. To verify advertised job opportunities, always check the company or organisation's official website or LinkedIn page.
