South African police are investigating 10 high-profile murder cases connected to a single AK-47 rifle, with businessman Katiso “KT” Molefe at the center of the probe. On Tuesday, Molefe faced new charges in the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court for the 2022 murder of musician Hector Buthelezi, known as DJ Vintos, adding to his existing charges for the murders of Oupa Sefoka, known as DJ Sumbody, and Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart.
The AK-47, along with three pistols, has been forensically linked to multiple killings. DJ Vintos was gunned down in a drive-by shooting outside a nightclub in Orlando East, Soweto, in March 2022. The same weapon was used in the November 2022 assassination of DJ Sumbody and his two bodyguards in Woodmead, Johannesburg, and the April 2024 killing of Swart, believed to be a case of mistaken identity tied to a Transnet tender scandal. Additionally, Molefe’s three co-accused—Michael Pule Tau, Tiego Floyd Mabusela, and Musa Kekana—face charges for the March 2023 murder of businessman Don Tindleni, killed in a hail of bullets on the N1 highway.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed that ballistic evidence ties the firearms to at least four confirmed murders, with investigations ongoing into six more cases. “We are investigating 10 high-profile cases where these firearms are being linked to, so now we are at number four,” Mathe said outside the court. She noted that additional evidence beyond ballistics strengthens the case against Molefe and his co-accused, who are believed to be part of a broader criminal syndicate.
Molefe, previously out on bail for Swart’s murder, was arrested on July 21, 2025, in Sandton, alongside the alleged hitmen. The state is working to centralize the four murder cases—DJ Sumbody, DJ Vintos, Don Tindleni, and Armand Swart—into a single trial. Molefe’s bail application has been postponed to August 6, while the case is set for further investigation on September 18.
The arrests have drawn significant attention, with allegations of political interference and corruption surfacing. The SAPS Political Killings Task Team and Gauteng Organised Crime Unit continue to probe the syndicate’s operations, with Mathe indicating that further arrests are likely as investigations progress.
