South African rapper and television presenter Molemo “Jub Jub” Maarohanye has been arrested in Gauteng after an alleged violent confrontation with a taxi driver that police say escalated into kidnapping and the firing of a weapon.

According to provincial authorities, the incident unfolded in Edenvale, east of Johannesburg, when the musician allegedly confronted the driver, believing the man was romantically involved with his girlfriend. What began as an argument is said to have turned into a serious criminal matter.

Investigators allege that Maarohanye forced the driver into a vehicle and drove off with him against his will. During the ordeal, a firearm was reportedly discharged in the direction of the victim. Police say the taxi driver was not struck and later managed to escape.

The shaken driver is understood to have gone directly to a nearby police station, where he laid a formal complaint. That report triggered a swift investigation, culminating in Maarohanye’s arrest on suspicion of kidnapping and related offences.

Officers say the confrontation occurred shortly after 07:30, soon after the driver had completed an early morning drop-off. Detectives are now piecing together the sequence of events, including how the alleged abduction began and where the victim was taken before he got away.

Maarohanye is expected to appear in the Germiston Magistrate’s Court for a first appearance, where prosecutors are likely to outline the full slate of charges. At the time of writing, he has not issued any public response, and his legal team has yet to comment on the allegations.

The arrest marks the latest chapter in a long and troubled relationship with the law for the entertainer, who first rose to fame as a hip-hop artist before reinventing himself as a reality television host.

In one of South Africa’s most notorious celebrity court cases, he was convicted in connection with a crash during an illegal street race that killed four schoolchildren and injured two others. His murder conviction was later reduced on appeal to culpable homicide, and he was released on parole after serving part of his sentence.

More recently, he faced charges including attempted murder and sexual assault following accusations by a former partner. Prosecutors later withdrew those charges, citing insufficient prospects of a successful prosecution.

Despite repeated legal controversies, Maarohanye has remained a prominent figure on South African screens as the host of “Uyajola 9/9,” a reality show that investigates suspected infidelity, often placing him at the centre of volatile confrontations.