The case of a South African Police Service (SAPS) officer accused of shooting and killing his estranged wife and boyfriend with his state-issued gun in April 2024 has been postponed to Wednesday due to his lawyer being ill.
On Tuesday, Midrand Police Station officer detective sergeant Mokgesseng Jeffrey Moleko, 47, appeared at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court for the continuation of his bail application.
During court proceedings on Tuesday, it was revealed that Moleko’s lawyer, Adv Deon Pool, is ill and therefore the proceedings cannot continue.
Magistrate Hleziphi Mkhasibe then postponed the matter to Wednesday for the continuation of the testimony by the investigating officer Lt-Col Andile Makhaya.
State opposing bail
Makhaya is testifying on behalf of the state, which is opposing Moleko’s bail. The state prosecutor in the case is Yusuf Baba.
Moleko is facing two counts of murder and one count of unlicensed possession of ammunition. This is in connection with the murders of his estranged wife Phumla Dladla, 45, and her boyfriend Paul Tatu.
Moleko is alleged to have shot and killed Dladla and Tatu with his state-issued firearm on April 27 2024. The incidents happened in Noordwyk, Midrand in Johannesburg.
Moleko is alleged to have shot and killed Dladla at her home at Sagewood Manor complex in Noordwyk. Afterwards he is alleged to have shot Tatu near the Samrand offramp on the N1 highway.
Moleko was arrested on Friday, July 18 2025.
His bail application affidavit was read in court two weeks ago on July 25 2025.
Danger to society
In a bid to oppose Moleko’s bail, Makhaya previously told the court that Moleko is “violent in nature”. He added that Moleko was “a danger to society”.
Makhaya said on September 30 2019, Moleko assaulted the two children he has with Dladla with his police belt. The two children were aged nine and four at the time of the assault. They are now 14 (boy) and 11 (girl).
He said on June 14 2020 Moleko physically assaulted Dladla at her home at Sagewood Manor complex and hurled insults at her.
Makhaya said in 2021, Moleko threatened two of his late romantic partner with his state gun. The romantic partner died in 2021 due to Covid-19.
History of violent behaviour
Meanwhile, Makhaya said the four cartridges that were found at the crime scene of Dladla’s murder were tested against cartridges from Moleko’s state-issued firearm. And the results came back positive.
He said this was a confirmation that Moleko’s state-issued firearm is the murder weapon that killed Dladla.
Makhaya previously revealed that Moleko and Dladla lived together at Sagewood Manor complex. They lived together from 2010 until Moleko moved out in October 2019.
Makhaya said the families of Moleko and Dladla engaged in lobola negotiations between 2010 and 2012. But the couple never had a wedding, and a marriage never materialised.
During his bail application two weeks ago, Moleko, testified through his lawyer Pool. He said he takes daily medication for blood pressure and depression, which is chronic. He added that he can afford R5, 000 bail.
Moleko remains in police custody.
Killed estranged wife and her boyfriend
According to a police report seen by Sunday World, on April 27 2024, a woman (Dladla) was shot and killed in Noordwyk. Then 30 minutes later, a man (Tatu) who left the complex, was found dead on the N1 highway. He had a bullet wound to the back of his head.
The two case dockets were referred to the serious violent crimes investigation (SVCI), murder and robbery unit for further investigation.
“During the investigations, it was revealed that the deceased woman (Dladla) was the ex-girlfriend of Moleko. And the deceased man (Tatu) was the woman’s new boyfriend. The same state-issued firearm, assigned to Moleko, was used in both killings,” read the police report.
