South Africa’s Jub Jub arrested in kidnapping case

South African media personality and rapper Molemo Maarohanye, known publicly as Jub Jub, is facing serious criminal charges after being arrested over an alleged violent incident involving a taxi driver.

Police in Gauteng say the incident took place on Sunday morning in Edenvale, a suburb east of Johannesburg. Investigators allege that Maarohanye believed the driver was involved with his girlfriend, which led to a confrontation.

According to authorities, the situation escalated when the rapper allegedly abducted the man and drove off with him in his vehicle. During the incident, a firearm was reportedly discharged in the direction of the victim.

The taxi driver was not hit and managed to get away safely. He later went to a police station to file a complaint, prompting an investigation and the arrest.

Officers confirmed the alleged confrontation happened shortly after 07:30 local time, following the driver’s early morning drop-off of a passenger.

Maarohanye is due to appear in the Germiston Magistrate’s Court for a preliminary hearing on Wednesday. He has not issued any public statement in response to the allegations.

The case adds to a long history of legal troubles for the entertainer. In 2012, he was convicted in connection with a high-profile crash during illegal street racing that resulted in the deaths of four children and injuries to two others. That conviction was later reduced on appeal to culpable homicide.

In a separate case in 2023, he was arrested again following allegations made by a former partner, facing charges including attempted murder and sexual assault. Those charges were later withdrawn by prosecutors in 2024 due to insufficient prospects of conviction.

Despite his legal challenges, Maarohanye remains active in television and currently presents the reality show “Uyajola 9/9,” which focuses on exposing suspected infidelity in relationships.