The Johannesburg High Court reserved judgment today in the bail appeal of Katiso “KT” Molefe, a 61-year-old Sandton businessman accused of orchestrating the 2022 murders of music producer Oupa John Sefoka, known as DJ Sumbody, and his two bodyguards.
Appearing before Judge Brad Wanless, Molefe’s fate remains uncertain as the court grapples with his alleged role in a sprawling criminal syndicate.
The hearing unfolded for two hours. And it amplified public and legal scrutiny of South Africa’s battle against organised crime. It also left the nation awaiting a ruling that could reshape justice in Gauteng.
Lawyer fights for bail
According to Molefe’s lawyer, the applicant has discharged the onus of showing exceptional circumstances that he must be granted bail. He insisted that the application must succeed.
He added that there are additional charges of premeditated murder. But the personal circumstances remain unchanged.
“The opposition to bail rests heavily on the alleged strength of the state’s case. With respect, the state has not demonstrated such strength.”
“The material relied upon cash, WhatsApp messages, cellphone tower data does not rise to the level of persuasive or compelling evidence. Were this matter considered under section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act, the state’s case could well be described as speculative. While I accept that the test for a discharge differs from the bail inquiry, this comparison illustrates the frailty of the evidentiary foundation relied upon by the prosecution.
“The opposition amounts to no more than assertion and speculation, without concrete evidence. The presumption of innocence and the principle that bail should be granted where the interests of justice permit, subject to conditions, must weigh heavily.”
Molefe was arrested in July 2025 alongside alleged hitmen Musa Kekana, Michael Pule Tau, and Floyd Mabusela. They were arrested for the November 22, 2022, ambush outside a Sandton nightclub that killed DJ Sumbody, Bongani Mthimkhulu, and Thabo Jiyane.
String of murders
Prosecutors allege Molefe masterminded the hit. He was driven by personal and business rivalries in the volatile entertainment and construction sectors. Ballistic evidence has since linked the seized weapons to at least 18 other murders and attempted hits. The weapons are an AK-47 and two pistols. These include the 2022 killing of DJ Vintos (Hecter Buthelezi). Also the 2024 assassination of engineer Armand Swart in Vereeniging.
The appeal hearing leaned heavily on testimony from the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into alleged SAPS corruption.
Crime intelligence head Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo last month named Molefe and associate Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala as linchpins in the Big Five cartel. He fingered them in contract killings, kidnappings, drug trafficking, vehicle hijackings, tender fraud, and money laundering.
“These networks have infiltrated procurement and law enforcement, undermining public safety,” Khumalo told the commission. He framed Molefe as a central figure in a syndicate terrorising Gauteng.
Base of speculation
Molefe’s legal representative, Michael Hellens, accused the state of drawing influence from a base of speculation.
“If the state was serious with its opposition of the bail application, it should have provided rebutting evidence. There is a lack of content in the answering (affidavit). And even in the supplementary (affidavit). The state has not demonstrated a strong case,” said Hellens.
State prosecutor Elize le Roux said it would not need an academic to see that these murders are part of a syndicate.
“There were three cases with five people dying in the same manner. Most of the time when these murders are orchestrated, cash is involved. And there are usually no paper trails that would lead back to the masterminds,” said Le Roux.
