Kunye Records Drama: Shimza Reportedly Fired Despite Headlining Kunye Fest as Real Owner Is Revealed

Published 9 Nov 2026 at 3:20 PM

by Gloria Masia

3 min read

The Companies Tribunal ordered DJ Shimza's removal as a director of Kunye Records following an application by shareholder Hannes Hoffmeister
Shimza and co-director Jarrad Treger each hold 33.3% of the shares in Kunye Records alongside Hoffmeister, raising questions about who truly owns the brand
Despite the directorship drama, Shimza headlined the Kunye Jozi XI festival at Huddle Park on 7 November, sending social media into a frenzy

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The development added another chapter to the controversy surrounding the DJ and the record label he helped build — DJ Shimza was reportedly removed as a director of Kunye Records amid allegations of misconduct involving R752,000. Image: DJ Shimza
Source: Facebook

Social media lit up this week after reports surfaced that DJ Shimza had been stripped of his directorship at Kunye Records, all while he was headlining the Kunye Jozi XI festival at Huddle Park in Johannesburg on Saturday, 7 November. The contradiction between the legal proceedings and his continued stage presence left peeps asking one burning question: does Shimza actually own Kunye?

The Companies Tribunal ordered the removal of DJ Shimza, whose full name is Ashley Kholofelo Raphala, and fellow director Jarrad Evan Treger from Kunye Records. The ruling came after shareholder Hannes Hoffmeister brought a formal application alleging breaches of fiduciary duty. Central to Hoffmeister's case was an undisclosed R752,000 payment made to a third-party company allegedly linked to Shimza.

Who actually owns Kunye Records?

X user @FiscusKgosi shared screenshots of CIPC corporate registry filings for Kunye Events, which listed Jarrad Evan Treger as an active director. The post sent the platform into a tailspin, with many users surprised to see another name tied so prominently to the brand.

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@FiscusKgosi wrote:

"What's going on here? Shimza does not own Kunye? ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️"

Buzz Life News added context:

"DJ Shimza fired with immediate effect from Kunye Records but headlines Kunye Fest. DJ Shimza, real name Ashley Kholofelo Raphala, headlined his Kunye Jozi XI event at Huddle Park in Johannesburg on Saturday night, 7 November, despite reports of his removal as a director of Kunye."

The High Court review application means the matter is far from settled, with both Shimza and Treger still contesting the Tribunal's findings. Shimza, Treger, and Hoffmeister each historically held equal 33.3% shares in Kunye Records, meaning a directorship removal does not necessarily extinguish a shareholder's equity stake in the company.

Shimza and Treger fight back

Both Shimza and Treger filed a High Court review application in September 2026, seeking to have the Tribunal's ruling set aside. The two maintain they did not engage in any wrongdoing. Several commentators were quick to draw the distinction between directorship and ownership.

Peeps on X had plenty to say about the unfolding situation:

@maybethatzama noted:

"Being a director means nothing re ownership of the company."

@uMaster_Sandz was less surprised:

"But this was an open secret; we all knew he doesn't own this Kunye."

@somahashii took a swipe at the account that broke the story:

"Chief, you spend all day discussing other men’s bags and money, @FiscusKgosi, might as well put on a G-string and a bra at this point."

Shimza was accused of owing former employees

More than 20 former employees of Shimza's Thembisa restaurant, The Hang Awt 1632, accused management of withholding tips earned through card payments.