Same AK‑47 behind DJ Sumbody killing now linked to 2022 murder of DJ Vintos in Soweto
image: SA Police Service by Mathipa Phishego
Ballistic evidence ties notorious firearms to multiple celebrated crime scenes. As investigators piece together a brazen network of contract killings, a senior police officer confirmed that the AK‑47 used in the assassination of DJ Sumbody is now linked to the fatal shooting of Hector “DJ Vintos” Buthelezi, extending a chilling trail of violence across high‑profile murders.
Ballistics analysis of the AK‑47, alongside three pistols seized after the April 2024 murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart, revealed matches to at least ten high-profile cases, including murder and attempted murder across Gauteng province.
Previously tied to DJ Sumbody’s death in Woodmead, Johannesburg where Oupa John Sefoka and his two bodyguards were murdered in November 2022 the same weapons have now been linked to the 2022 slaying of Hector Buthelezi, better known in Soweto’s entertainment circle as DJ Vintos.
On July 21, arrests were made in connection with DJ Sumbody’s murder. Four suspects face charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and weapons-related offenses. Katiso “KT” Molefe, a Sandton businessman accused of being the mastermind. Michael Pule Tau, Musa Kekana, and Tiego Floyd Mabusela, the alleged hitmen.
Police confirmed all four were previously arrested after the Swart killing, when investigators seized four firearms—including the AK‑47. Forensic testing conducted by the SAPS Political Killings Task Team and the Gauteng Organized Crime Unit in December 2024 confirmed that these weapons had also been used in DJ Sumbody’s killing.
Two of the accused, Kekana and Mabusela, are separately connected to the attempted murder of actress Tebogo Thobejane. Authorities say this syndicate may be responsible for multiple contract killings, and more arrests could follow.
The trial remains ongoing. Molefe, still in custody at Kgosi Mampuru prison, did not bring a bail application and remains behind bars. His bail hearing is scheduled for July 29 (News24).
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe stated outside the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court that the investigation remains active. She reaffirmed that the firearms including the AK‑47 are connected to at least ten high-profile cases, though authorities have withheld details until further investigations are complete.
Hector “DJ Vintos” Buthelezi, a Soweto-born TikTok star and owner of Lifestyle Butchery in Jabulani popularly branded “Banana Land”, was killed in March 2022 in Orlando East. Police described how unknown assailants in a BMW X3 opened fire, riddling his vehicle with bullets before fleeing. His body was discovered beside a VW Golf in the street.
Police have long been investigating possible links between his killing and others, including his public profile and the timing of violence against public figures. The new forensic developments now strongly support the theory that the same AK‑47 weapon was involved in both killings, though authorities are yet to formally confirm the linkage in open court.
This means a single weapon, the AK‑47 used in DJ Sumbody’s murder now emerges as a key piece of evidence connecting multiple murders across Gauteng. A suspected syndicate, potentially led or coordinated by Katiso Molefe and executed by alleged hitmen, may be at the centre of a decade‑spanning pattern of targeted hits.
The revelation underscores ongoing concerns about contract killing networks operating across the province, targeting public figures and whistleblowers alike. For DJ Vintos’s family and the entertainment community, the linkage offers a crucial breakthrough three years after his death.
As the investigation continues, the upcoming court session on July 29. May set the tone for whether more arrest warrants will follow. The police indicate further ballistic leads and forensic evidence could expose additional crimes tied to the same firearms.
Meanwhile, families of victims including those of DJ Sumbody, Armand Swart, Tebogo Thobejane, and DJ Vintos are awaiting justice in what has been a deeply traumatic and protracted process. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to thorough investigative work, saying results will come when cases are complex and require piecing of evidence.