Businessman and alleged drug cartel member Katiso “KT” Molefe will be appealing the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court judgement that denied him bail in August this year.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said Molefe’s bail appeal will be heard on Thursday at the Johannesburg High Court.
Mjonondwane said the state is challenging Molefe’s bail appeal.
She said the bail appeal arguments will be heard at 2pm before Judge Brad Wanless.
On August 20 2025, Molefe, who is accused of the murder of music producer and club owner Oupa John Sefoka, also known as DJ Sumbody, was denied bail by the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court.
Charges ‘too serious for bail’
In delivering his judgement on Molefe’s bail application, magistrate Renier Boshoff said the charges and counts that Molefe is facing are serious and increases the likelihood of him absconding his trial.
Boshoff said Molefe failed to put exceptional circumstances that he should be granted bail.
“As I have highlighted, there are a number of very concerning aspects not only linking the applicant to the crimes but also regarding his circle of influence and capabilities. His application for bail is refused,” said Boshoff.
Molefe is accused of being the mastermind of the 2022 murders of DJ Sumbody, and his two bodyguards. The bodyguards are Sibusiso Mokoena and Sandile Myeza.
Molefe (61) is charged together with three alleged hitmen. They are Michael Pule Tau (55), Musa Kekana (35), Tiego Floyd Mabusela (47).
More charges
The four men are facing charges of three counts of murder, two counts of unlawful possession of firearm and one count of unlawful possession of ammunition in connection with the murders.
DJ Sumbody, Mokoena and Myeza were shot and killed by unknown men while travelling in their cars on the midnight of November 20 2022. The incident happened on the corner of Woodmead and Woodland drives in Sandton, Johannesburg.
Apart from Molefe, the three other accused have not brought a bail application.
All four accused remain in police custody. Molefe is kept at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre in Pretoria.
The four accused return to Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on November 11.
Meanwhile, South African Police Service (SAPS) crime intelligence boss Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo told the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry this week that there is a “Big Five” drug cartel in South Africa that operates nationally and internationally. He said the “Big Five” drug cartel, which consists of five individuals, has its head office in Gauteng.
Khumalo said attempted murder-accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and Molefe are members of the drug cartel.
All charges related to drug trafficking
He said the cartel also deals in contract killings and cross-border vehicle hijackings. Also kidnappings, tender fraud, and extortion mainly related to drug trafficking.
Meanwhile, Molefe and co-accused have been charged with the murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart. Swart was shot and killed outside his workplace in Vereeniging on April 17 2024.
Swart worked at Q Tech Engineering Company based in Vereeniging. He was shot and killed when the alleged hitmen mistook him for another employee who is a whistleblower.
Molefe was granted R100, 000 bail in the Swart matter in June by Acting Gauteng Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba.
Molefe and co-accused are also charged with the murder of musician Hector “DJ Vintos” Buthelezi. He was shot and killed in a hail of bullets in March 2022 outside a nightclub in Orlando East, Soweto.
National police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said DJ Vintos was killed by unknown men driving in a BMW X3.
Tau, Kekana and Mabusela have also been charged with the murder of Don Tindleni. Police are still looking for the mastermind behind the murder of Tindleni.
Firearm linked to all murders
Mathe said Tindleni was shot and killed in March 2023 on the N1 near the M17 off ramp. He was in his BMW 5 Series.
Mathe said the firearms used to kill DJ Sumbody, Mokoena, Myeza and Swart, are the same firearms that killed DJ Vintos and Tindleni.
She said after Swart’s murder in April last year, police arrested Tau, Kekana and Mabusela. Police seized four firearms from the three accused during their arrests – an AK47 and three pistols, said Mathe.
She said the four firearms were positively linked to the murders of Swart, DJ Sumbody and his bodyguards, DJ Vintos and Tindleni.
