'He self-isolated, he stayed at home' — DJ Sumbody's friend reveals there were three attempts on the DJ's life

Mourners gathered in Ga-Masemola, Limpopo, to bid a final farewell to amapiano pioneer, musician and businessman Oupa 'DJ Sumbody' Sefoka.

He was described as a man who was loving, loyal and dedicated to the success and upliftment of those around him.

His friend and business partner Tshephi Ranamane said they met at his former establishment and he knew his great personality would make him blow up.

“My friend and my brother was forcibly taken from us. He was forcibly removed from our world, from our sights, but one thing for sure is that they can't forcibly remove you from our hearts because right there you are going to live rent free forever.”

He revealed three deaths had shaken the late DJ and led him to believe there were people who wanted to end his life.

“In September thereabout we collaborated to do the flavour market at the Loftus Stadium and after the event someone got fatally shot. Two days after that somebody got killed at Sunnyside just outside DJ Sumbody's other club Top Notch. Three days after that in Mabopane someone else got shot dead. Why I’m bringing this up is because the shooting at Top Notch frightened DJ Sumbody so much because he self-isolated, he stayed at home. We had meetings to do because we did business together. We had to go to his house to meet and he was scared. I was asking him, my man what’s wrong and he said because the car that the guy was driving in, the make and colour, he thought the people were coming after him.

“I dismissed it as paranoia. I wish I hadn’t because maybe he was going to pay a bit of attention to his security detail. The thing is with me is I always thought why would somebody want to harm somebody so harmless. I mean the guy wouldn’t even hurt a fly. But the way they brutally took him out, the way they brutally shot him, it’s as if he was some kind of gangster. That’s why there's conspiracy theories that are suggesting he was a gangster or drug dealer. I’m so sorry guys, the guy was none of that. He was just so good at what he does, so good that I don’t know. Maybe that created enemies for him.”

DJ Sumbody's brother Koketso Sefoka paid tribute to the body guard killed with his brother on Sunday.

“To Sbu Walter Mokoena, my brother’s bodyguard and friend, thank you very much. You fought a good fight. You put your life on the line for my brother in all three attempts on his life, three as mentioned. I thank you my brother and I will never forget what you’ve done. Those that took my brother’s life, you might’ve taken his life, but his spirit and legacy live on and  I will fight for that legacy. I am my brother's keeper.”

His sister wrote a letter to her brother who she affectionately called “SumBnice” and “Mayor of Pitori”. 

“I thank you for giving me so much. You gave me so much of yourself and everyone else. Everyone that stood before us at the memorial service truly certifies all that I thought of you and more. Thank you for doing so much in a short period of time. Thank you for your loyalty, your thoughtfulness. Thank you for believing in yourself and your destiny because that’s the reason you knew that you were just not anybody but you were truly a somebody. Thank you for the protection. I could walk with my chin so high up in the sky because I knew there was a lion standing tall and bold behind me. I kept bragging to people about how I was raised by kings referring to both my brothers, my father and mother.

“Thank you for your sweat and blood that you put into building this legacy and giving us the best version of yourself as well. To say that I will miss you will be undermining how much you mean to me . I doubt I will heal but surely I will learn how to live with it . My questions will never be answered but I’ll continue asking God to answer me until I heal.”

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