South Africa’s national ballistics chief testified Monday about forensic evidence linked to the 2023 murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart before the commission investigating police corruption.
Brigadier Mishak Mkhabela, who heads the South African Police Service ballistics section at the Forensic Science Laboratory in Silverton, began his testimony on day 18 of the Madlanga Commission proceedings.
“Around 2014, I was brought back in Pretoria to head the integrated ballistics identification system section here in Silverton,” Mkhabela told the commission. “Last year in January, I was promoted to the rank of brigadier and head of ballistics nationally.”
His testimony follows explosive allegations last week that ballistics reports in the Swart case were deliberately manipulated.
A protected witness testified that weapons recovered in the murder investigation have been linked to 30 different cases, including the murders of DJ Sumbody and DJ Vintos.
Swart, 30, was shot 23 times outside his workplace in April 2023 in what investigators described as a case of mistaken identity.
The actual target was allegedly a whistleblower who had reported corruption involving inflated Transnet contracts.
Previous testimony revealed concerns about interference at the Silverton ballistics laboratory.
Investigators claimed they were told weapons had links to “high-profile figures” but the official report omitted these connections.
The team subsequently sent evidence to KwaZulu-Natal’s ballistics laboratory for a second opinion.
Four suspects have been arrested in connection with Swart’s murder.
These include former police officer Michael Pule Tau and alleged crime boss Katiso “KT” Molefe, who also faces charges for DJ Sumbody’s murder.
The Madlanga Commission was established by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate allegations of criminality, political interference and corruption within the criminal justice system.
The inquiry has heard testimony from senior police officials including National Commissioner Fannie Masemola and KwaZulu-Natal Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Mkhabela’s evidence is expected to address questions about the handling of ballistic evidence and alleged attempts to shield criminal syndicates from prosecution.
The commission continues at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria.
