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Disbarred advocate Malesela Teffo has been arrested at the Legal Practice Council (LPC) offices in Gauteng after police executed a warrant linked to a contempt of court matter.
Also see: Malesela Teffo faces arrest after surprise court appearance
According to Daily Sun, Malesela was arrested on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, after visiting the LPC offices seeking a certificate confirming that he was in good standing. Instead, he left the premises in handcuffs.
LPC spokesperson Kabelo Letebele said officials contacted the South African Police Service (SAPS) after Malesela reportedly insisted on obtaining the certificate.
Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that Malesela was arrested for contempt of court and was expected to appear before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 16 September 2026.
BREAKING: TEFO ARRESTED
Disbarred advocate Malesela Teffo has been arrested.
A warrant was issued earlier for his arrest.
Tefo reportedly went to the Legal Practice Council to obtain a certificate of good standing.
LPC officials, however, alerted police, who arrived and… pic.twitter.com/YYaGjzv4E3
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) September 15, 2026
Why was Malesela Teffo arrested?
The arrest is linked to Malesela’s continued status as a person struck from the roll of legal practitioners.
The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria struck Malesela from the roll in September 2022 following an application by the LPC. A later court judgment declared him in contempt of court for disobeying provisions of the order that removed him from the roll.
The LPC has repeatedly clarified that Malesela has not been readmitted to the legal profession and therefore remains prohibited from practising as a legal practitioner in South Africa. In a July 2026 statement, the council said no application concerning his possible readmission had been considered or approved.
The contempt matter should not be confused with the criminal charges Malesela faced separately. He was acquitted of six criminal charges in July 2026, but that outcome did not automatically restore his status as a legal practitioner.
Also see: Disbarred Malesela Teffo makes courtroom return at Cat Matlala murder trial
Malesela Teffo’s surprise court appearance
The arrest comes weeks after Malesela made a surprise appearance at the Johannesburg High Court during the trial of Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala and his co-accused.
Malesela arrived in legal robes and sought to intervene in the proceedings, claiming that he wanted to raise constitutional issues affecting the accused.
However, Judge Cassim Moosa ordered him to provide proof that he had been readmitted to practise. Malesela was unable to produce the required documentation, and his attempted intervention did not proceed.
The LPC subsequently reiterated that Malesela remained struck from the roll and said a warrant had been issued in connection with the contempt matter.
What happens next?
Malesela was expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday following his arrest.
His arrest does not itself amount to a conviction for contempt. The court will determine the matter and consider the allegations against him.
Meanwhile, any attempt by Malesela to return to legal practice would require the formal readmission process. The LPC has stated that he has not been readmitted and remains struck from the roll.
Also see: Musa Kekana alleges police suffocated him with a duvet and threatened to shoot him
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