Hit squad behind DJ Sumbody murder also linked to DJ Vintos, Don Tindleni killings

The four men charged with the murders of DJ Sumbody and his two bodyguards, as well as Vereeniging engineer Amand Swart now face two additional counts of murder.

They are accused of the murders of Hector “DJ Vintos” Buthelezi who died in March 2022 outside a nightclub in Orlando East, Soweto. Buthelezi died under a hail of bullets coming from suspects driving a BMW X5. The second charge relates to the murder of Don Tindleni who was killed on the N1 in March 2023.

This was revealed on Tuesday morning when Sandton businessman Tankiso “TK” Molefe and alleged hitmen Michael Pule Tau, Tiego Floyd Mabusela and Musa Kekana briefly appeared in the Alexandra magistrate’s court.

Molefe is the alleged mastermind in the murder of DJ Sumbody, whose real name is Oupa Sefoka. Tau is a former Gauteng detective who used to be based at Johannesburg Central police station.

DJ Sumbody and his bodyguards, Sibusiso Mokoena and Sandile Myeza died under a hail of bullets in Woodmead in 2022. Swart, who was killed in an alleged mistaken identity hit in April 2024, was shot 23 times. 

Speaking outside court following the men's short appearance, national police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said they're currently linking the AK-47 (alleged to have been used in the murders) and the three pistols found at the Amand Swart (murder scene).

“We are linking them to the killing of Swart, the killing of DJ Vintos and we are linking the same AK-47 to the killing of DJ Sumbody and his two bodyguards. We're also linking them to Don's case,” Mathe said.

“In terms of DJ Vintos, all four accused are added to that case.

“But for the murder of Don, we are only adding the three hitmen and we are investigating who the mastermind is and are hoping that in no time that information will come to light,” she said.

DJ Sumbody and his bodyguards were ambushed in November 2022, in what police believe was a planned execution. Mathe said outside linking the guns to the suspects they have “overwhelming evidence” that they have arrested the right people.

Regarding the motives for all the murders, Mathe said:

“The motive will come out in court, so we are not going to rush to speculate. Our investigators are hard at work in piecing together some information obviously closing the loopholes and the gaps.

“So lets not speculate for now; lets wait for this information to be made public before court,” she said.

The matter has been postponed to August 6 for Molefe to make a formal bail application and September 18 for the state to centralise the four cases.

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