A police officer accused of shooting and killing his estranged wife and boyfriend with his state-issued gun in April 2024 is alleged to have a history of violence.
This information was revealed on Monday at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court during the bail application of Midrand police station’s detective sergeant Mokgesseng Jeffrey Moleko.
Moleko (47) is facing two counts of murder and one count of unlicensed possession of ammunition in connection with the murders of his estranged wife, Phumla Dladla (45) and her boyfriend, Paul Tatu.
Investigating officer Lieutenant-Colonel Andile Makhaya said Moleko hurled insults at Dladla in June 2020 and threatened the sons of his late romantic partner in 2021 with his state-issued gun.
Makhaya said this during court proceedings on Monday when he was under cross-examination by Moleko’s lawyer, advocate Deon Pool.
The state prosecutor is Yusuf Baba, and the presiding officer is Magistrate Hleziphi Mkhasibe.
State-issued firearm used in murder
Moleko is alleged to have shot and killed Dladla and Tatu with his state-issued firearm on April 27, 2024, in Noordwyk, Midrand.
Dladla was shot and killed at her home at the Sagewood Manor complex in Noordwyk, and Tatu was shot and killed near the Samrand offramp on the N1 highway.
Moleko was arrested on Friday, July 18, 2025.
Moleko’s bail application affidavit was read in court on July 25 when he was applying for bail.
During cross-examination on Monday, Pool asked Makhaya questions about assault incidents that he said Moleko allegedly committed prior to Dladla and Tatu’s murders.
Pool questioned Makhaya about an alleged physical assault on Dladla by Moleko on June 14, 2020.
Makhaya stated that the incident occurred during the day when Moleko visited Dladla’s Sagewood Manor complex home to collect their children for visitation.
Makhaya said an argument ensued between the two, and Moleko uttered the words “V*****k b***h” to Dladla. He said Moleko assaulted Dladla on the shoulder during this incident.
Ex-lover’s kids threatened with gun
He added that in 2021, Moleko threatened the two sons of a late romantic partner with his state-issued gun. The romantic partner died in 2021 due to Covid-19.
“The applicant [Moleko] is violent in nature. He goes around threatening people with a firearm. He has a level of violence towards different people in different situations,” said Makhaya.
Makhaya stated that in September 2019, Moleko used his police belt to assault the two children he has with Dladla.
The two children were aged nine and four at the time of the assault in 2019. The two children are now 14 (boy) and 11 (girl).
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.
Pool asked Mkhasibe to postpone the matter to Tuesday for continuation of the bail application.
Mkhasibe postponed the matter to Tuesday for further bail application evidence.
Moleko remains in police custody.
State opposes bail
Makhaya previously revealed that Moleko and Dladla lived together at their home at the Sagewood Manor complex in Noordwyk from 2010 until Moleko moved out in October 2019.
Makhaya said the families of Moleko and Dladla engaged in lobolo negotiations between 2010 and 2012, but Moleko and Dladla never had a wedding, and marriage never materialised.
During his bail application two weeks ago, Moleko, through his lawyer Pool, said he takes daily medication for blood pressure and depression, which are chronic.
Moleko said he can afford R5 000 bail. The state is opposing bail.
The two case dockets were referred to the serious violent crimes investigation, 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 police report added that the same state-issued firearm, assigned to Moleko, was used in both killings,” read the police report.
