In the sprawling metropolis of JOHANNESBURG, a chilling narrative of betrayal, greed, and alleged underworld connections has begun to unfold, casting a dark shadow over the entertainment industry and the halls of justice. The assassination of Oupa John Sefoka, the celebrated musician known to fans as DJ Sumbody, on 20 November 2022, left the nation shell-shocked and speechless, leaving fans and loved ones grappling with unanswered questions. Now, thanks to the hard work and bravery of South Africa's most celebrated police officer, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, nearly three years later, a series of arrests has brought a glimmer of hope for closure, while simultaneously exposing a web of alleged corruption and influence that reaches the highest echelons of South African society.
The late hours of 20 November 2022, marked a tragic turning point in the life of Oupa John Sefoka, known to his legions of fans as DJ Sumbody. His life was brutally cut short in a hail of gunfire in Woodmead, in JOHANNESBURG. The co-founder of Ayepyep Lifestyle, a popular entertainment venue, was not alone when the assassins struck. DJ Sumbody’s bodyguards, Sibusiso Mokoena and Sandile Myeza, also lost their lives in the barrage of bullets. The scene was one of utter devastation, with DJ Sumbody’s vehicle riddled with approximately 48 bullet holes, a grim testament to the ruthlessness of the attack.
The four suspects, aged between 45 and 60, were arrested on Monday afternoon and are scheduled to appear in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. According to National Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, three of the arrested men are alleged hitmen, while the fourth is believed to be the one who ordered the hit on DJ Sumbody. The suspects face three counts of murder, including the deaths of DJ Sumbody and his bodyguards. They also face charges of conspiracy to commit murder.
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola has welcomed the arrests, calling it a significant breakthrough that will hopefully provide closure to the families involved. He commended the teams that have been piecing together evidence since November 2022, describing it as a culmination of hard work and dedication to justice. Masemola added that it was a complex case that required a thorough investigation to bring a strong case before court.
The weapon allegedly used in the commission of the crime has been seized and linked to other murders.
Sandton businessman Katiso “KT” Molefe was arrested in connection with DJ Sumbody’s murder. Molefe is already before court for allegedly masterminding the murder of a whistleblower, a case which KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said had revealed a connection between top cops, politicians, and underworld figures.
While the other 3 suspects are currently locked up in cells pending their appearance in court today, however, News 24 reports that Molefe is detained in his home. One wonders why he continues enjoying preferential treatment that other suspected criminals are not awarded. Mkhwanazi has alleged that the SAPS top brass, along with Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, were infiltrated and captured by drug cartels and underworld figures. He claimed that the police’s Political Killings Task Team was collateral damage, and that its “orchestrated demise” was set in motion by its pursuit of Molefe, as well as tender don Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala. Mchunu has been placed on special leave while a judicial commission of inquiry, a parliamentary investigation, and another probe advanced by the Public Protector gather momentum.
Molefe and a trio of alleged triggermen will now be charged for the attack on DJ Sumbody. All four suspects will appear before the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 22 July.
Molefe’s involvement with the law dates back to 17 April 2024, when Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart was murdered. Swart was shot outside the factory where he worked in a case of mistaken identity. The bullets were meant for another employee who blew the whistle on Transnet tender price inflation. Swart was shot 23 times.
A previous investigation revealed that a single tender had been inflated by 4,500%, and after this was reported, Swart was gunned down in an act of misidentified revenge. A team of detectives, augmented by 10 officers from the Political Killings Task Team, unravelled the entire scheme, from the alleged triggermen to the supposed paymaster, Molefe, and had them arrested and charged.
During bail proceedings before the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court, the investigating officer said the State had “uncovered and collected masses of evidence” relating to Swart’s murder and to “other similar murders which have been linked to the same accused”. The investigating officer, who cannot be named owing to threats on her life, laid out what is believed to be the group’s “hierarchy”, in which Molefe has been identified as “the head of the grouping arrested to date”.
The group defines the very nature of an organised crime structure, with the individuals ranked according to power and ruthlessness, money obtained through a multitude of criminal activities laundered via businesses and assets, the utilisation of law enforcement members for criminal activities, intelligence gathering and protection against prosecution, and an abundance of illegal weapons used to execute anyone who attempts to stand in the way of their racketeering activity.
It was said that Molefe is often addressed or referred to respectfully as a boss, senior or fatherly figure. The head of “the team of contract killers” and two other men were described as “career criminals with a demonstrated history of behaviour”.
While Molefe was denied bail in the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court, this was overturned in June by Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Deputy Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba. Bail was set at R100 000 and Molefe was remitted while awaiting the start of his trial in August. He will now have to apply for bail anew.
Meanwhile, DJ Sumbody was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in Woodmead on 20 November 2022. His blue GTI was riddled with bullets from automatic gunfire. The musician and nightclub owner, as well as his driver and bodyguard, were declared dead at the scene. A third person, travelling in a separate car, was seriously injured in the hail of bullets. At the time of his death, DJ Sumbody was the co-owner of Ayepyep Lifestyle lounges which had locations in Menlyn, Pretoria, and Cape Town.
Crucially, the firearms used in the attack on Swart were forensically linked to both the murder of DJ Sumbody and the attempted assassination of former Muvhango actress and socialite Tebogo Thobejane, allegedly orchestrated by Matlala, her former lover. The ballistic evidence has connected the alleged triggermen, and investigations have subsequently implicated Molefe and Matlala as the suspected masterminds of these shootings.
The two men have become the alleged nexus between the underworld and law enforcement, as sketched by Mkhwanazi.
Advocate Annelene van den Heever, who has previously legally represented Molefe, said she was unable to comment on her client’s arrest.
During a press briefing on 6 July, General Mkhwanazi accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of shielding prominent businesspeople from Gauteng from being arrested for murder cases that the political killings task team was investigating. Mkhwanazi stated that on 6 December 2024, the task team visited the premises of Katiso Molefe, who had been arrested for the murder of Mr. Swart of QTEC. During that arrest, unusual activities were observed, including the dispatching of members of the South African Police Service under the command of a senior manager at the head office to interrupt the operation.
Mkhwanazi further stated that on 30 December 2024, the ballistic expert issued a report which linked firearms not only with the murder of Mr. Swart, but also with a number of high-profile cases, including the murders of high-profile South African artists in Gauteng dating back to 2021.
Mkhwanazi also mentioned that on 31 December 2024, the Minister of Police issued a letter to disband the political killings task team and to suspend the filling of vacancies within Crime Intelligence. In January, February, and April 2025, the Deputy National Commissioner of Crime Detection issued written instructions withdrawing all these cases from the task team to his office. On 14 May 2025, the task team arrested Vusimusii Cat Matlala for an attempted murder.
Mkhwanazi's statement suggests that Molefe and Cat Matlala were allegedly using the same hitmen to get their enemies murdered. Molefe had been arrested for the murder of Swart and was initially denied bail, but he was eventually granted bail by the High Court under unclear circumstances. This may explain why General Mkhwanazi also claimed that even the judiciary was captured by highly connected Gauteng businessmen who engage in political killings.

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