By Bhekizenzo Zonele
The murder trial of businessman and alleged Big Five cartel member Katiso “KT” Molefe and his three co-accused has been postponed to 2027 because of overlapping proceedings in a separate criminal case involving incarcerated alleged underworld figure Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala.
Molefe, Michael Pule Tau, Tiego Floyd Mabusela and Musa Kekana appeared in the Johannesburg High Court on Monday.
The four face 35 charges, including murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
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The charges relate to several killings, including the murder of musician Oupa John Sefoka, popularly known as DJ Sumbody, who was shot dead alongside his two bodyguards, Sibusiso Mokoena and Sandile Myeza, in Woodmead, Johannesburg, in November 2022.
The case also involves the murders of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart, Hector Buthelezi, also known as DJ Vintos, and businessman Don Tindleni.
The state alleges that Molefe orchestrated the killings with the assistance of his co-accused. It claims that ballistic evidence links firearms allegedly used in DJ Sumbody’s murder to several other killings.
During Monday’s proceedings, the court heard that Mabusela and Kekana are also accused in a separate criminal trial involving Matlala, which is scheduled to resume on 2 November.
The Matlala case, which began in July, involves 25 charges, including attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, fraud and money laundering.
The proceedings include a challenge to the admissibility of evidence allegedly obtained following arrests in that case. The disputed evidence includes an AK-47 rifle and a stolen Hyundai i20 believed to have been used in Swart’s murder.
Because the two cases involve some of the same accused, evidence, prosecutors and legal representatives, the court found it was impractical for the trials to proceed simultaneously.
Judge Phanuel Mudau accepted that the Molefe trial would have to be delayed until the proceedings involving Matlala had been concluded.
“The two matters cannot run at the same time for practical reasons,” the judge said.
Mudau also raised concerns about the potential length of the trial and called for sufficient court time to be reserved to ensure that proceedings could continue without repeated interruptions.
He referred to the lengthy Senzo Meyiwa murder trial as an example of the delays that should be avoided.
The judge said that the Molefe trial might require two or more consecutive court terms and urged the legal teams to coordinate their schedules accordingly.
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Mudau eventually postponed the case to 19 July.
Molefe’s bail was extended until the next court date, while his three co-accused, Tau, Mabusela and Kekana, remain in custody.
Molefe was granted bail of R400,000 by the Johannesburg High Court in October 2025 after successfully appealing an earlier decision by the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court to refuse him bail.
Under his existing bail conditions, Molefe is required to report to a police station on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
During Monday’s proceedings, his legal team requested an amendment that would allow him to report to a different police station when travelling within South Africa.
The arrangement would require Molefe to notify the state and investigating officer of his intended destination five working days before travelling. The state would then determine which police station he must report to while away.
The state did not oppose the proposal, but Mudau requested a draft court order before the amendment could be formalised.
The murder case is among several criminal proceedings linked to investigations into organised crime and contract killings in Gauteng.
Swart was shot dead outside his workplace in Vereeniging in April 2024 in what investigators believe was a case of mistaken identity.
Molefe was initially arrested in connection with Swart’s killing before investigators linked him to other murders through forensic evidence.
He has also been identified in testimony before the Madlanga Commission as an alleged member of the so-called Big Five cartel, which is suspected of involvement in organised criminal activities.
