Resurfaced Video of Disbarred Advocate Malesela Teffo Dancing in Prison Gets Mzansi Talking

Published 6 Nov 2026 at 4:57 PM

by Mbalenhle Butale

3 min read

A resurfaced video of Adv Malesela Teffo dancing with fellow inmates at Kgosi Mampuru prison went viral on 6 November 2026
Teffo was struck off the roll of advocates in September 2022 and later arrested for contempt of court after repeatedly attempting to practise law
South Africans were divided in their reactions, with some expressing sympathy and others finding hope in his upbeat attitude

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SOUTH AFRICA - An old video of disbarred advocate Malesela Teffo dancing with fellow inmates at Kgosi Mampuru prison, Medium C, Section G4-6, resurfaced and went viral on 6 November 2026, drawing thousands of likes and hundreds of comments online.

Social media user @AdvoBarryRoux shared the clip on X, captioning it:

"Adv Malesela Teffo is trying to fit in, in Prison. This is sad to watch. 😭"

In the footage, Teffo can be seen moving to old-school kwaito tunes alongside other inmates, raising questions about his state of mind and the circumstances that led him there.

How Teffo ended up behind bars

Teffo was struck off the roll of advocates in September 2022 after multiple complaints of professional misconduct, dishonesty, and malpractice were upheld against him. Despite the removal, he repeatedly attempted to appear in high-profile cases, including the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial. Judges consistently barred him from addressing the court without formal proof of readmission.

His persistence eventually led the Legal Practice Council (LPC) to obtain a warrant for his arrest on contempt of court charges. On 15 September, officers arrested him at the LPC offices after he arrived to apply for a letter of good standing. He has been in detention at Kgosi Mampuru prison ever since.

Various social media users pointed out that the video was from Teffo's previous incarceration therefore the authenticity of the video has not been verified by Briefly News.

Watch the viral prison video that got Mzansi talking here"

Mzansi reacts to the viral clip

South Africans had plenty to say about the footage:

@Aluta2019 wrote:

"Teffo is a victim of our criminal justice system, he was never the same after being arrested in court "

@Nyathi_nsindane said:

"Imagine the hours of studying to complete a law degree, the studying process to be an advocate. Yooo, sad to watch."

@Thapelo_fxgoat offered a different perspective:

"It's called 'Keeping a positive mentality'. Sometimes when life throws you to the deep end, you need to master your emotions and mind. Accept and understand your surrounding and keep faith it won't be for long."

@Tumie_ZAA quipped:

"When he comes out he is going to expose the prison system and how they allow prisoners to have laptops and phones?"

@DonknowMcgrego added:

"They sent him there to finish him, unfortunately he will return as a stronger man."

Teffo appears at Vusimuzi Matlala's court appearance

Briefly News also reported that disbarred attorney Malesela Teffo appeared uninvited at 'Cat' Matlala's attempted murder trial at the Johannesburg Magistrates Court on 31 August 2026 Teffo's address left Matlala, his wife, and co-accused visibly confused as he claimed their constitutional rights had been grossly violated The accused instructed their own lawyers to shut down Teffo's application, with counsel arguing he had no legal standing in court.