JOHANNESBURG - Revelations about the murders of several South African artists have exposed a chilling web of connections involving organised-crime cartels, corrupt law enforcers, and high-powered firearms.
Sandton businessman, Katiso 'KT' Molefe, and three suspected hitmen, are now facing the music.
14 February 2022. DJ Citi Lyts is shot eight times while in the company of friends in Dube, Soweto.
On the 2nd of March 2022, CCTV footage shows a white VW Jetta pulling up and multiple shots fired at Heavy Pablo outside the Marc Mall in Sandton. 18 days later, DJ Vintos is gunned down next to his car outside an Orlando East nightclub.
Eight months later, on the 20th of November 2022, Dj Sumbody is ambushed with an assault rifle while driving on Woodmead Drive in Johannesburg. His two bodyguards also killed.
30th January 2023, Vusi Ma R5 is shot multiple times walking to his car outside a tavern in Soshanguve. 10 February 2023, hip hop sensation AKA and his friend Tebello Motsoane are shot at close range on Florida Road in Durban.
READ: Durban High Court gets ready to dig deeper into AKA & Tibz murder trial
17 May 2025, Woza Afrika founder Manqoba Ntombela is shot in his car outside his home in Heidelberg.
Weeks after the KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner's explosive allegations, the wheels of justice began to turn.
Controversial businessman and alleged mastermind Molefe, and suspected hitmen Michael Tau, Musa Kekana, and Tiego Mabusela are now facing murder charges. They have been linked to the assassinations of DJ Sumbody, DJ Vintos and whistleblower Armand Swart. The alleged hitmen have also been charged with killing businessman Don Tindleni.
An AK-47 and three pistols are the key pieces of evidence tying Molefe and the alleged hitmen to crimes.
As investigations deepen, police say they are probing at least ten high-profile murder cases potentially linked to the same AK-47 rifle. They have not ruled out further arrests as they trace the syndicate’s reach across Gauteng.