A Hawks captain told South Africa’s Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday that he was ordered to verify whether a police operation at the home of alleged crime boss Katiso Molefe was legitimate.
Captain Dail Nortjie concluded brief testimony focused on the December 2024 arrest of Molefe, who faces murder charges including the killing of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart.
Molefe was arrested at his Sandhurst mansion in a clandestine operation by members of the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team and the Special Task Force. Previous testimony referred to interference from members of the Hawks and Gauteng Traffic Police during the arrest.
Nortjie told the commission that three separate Hawks teams were deployed to determine whether officers at Molefe’s residence were genuine.
“On the 6th of December, which was on a Friday around 16:24, I received a call on my cellphone from Lt-Col Matlole, whereby we had to attend follow-up information with regard to people impersonating themselves as Hawks,” Nortjie said.
He is one of three Hawks members scheduled to appear before the commission on Tuesday.
The PKTT raided Molefe’s home in connection with the murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart. Swart was killed in April 2024 in relation to a Transnet tender. Investigations revealed that Molefe’s son, Thapelo, and nephew, Lucky, colluded in awarding the tender to the company, SK Group.
Swart, 30, was shot in a hit-style shooting in Vereeniging on 17 April 2024 after his employer reported massive price inflation on a Transnet contract. Both Lucky and Thapelo Molefe remain wanted by police.
The commission, chaired by retired Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, is investigating allegations of corruption and political interference in South Africa’s criminal justice system.
Previous proceedings focused on the events of 6 December 2024, when Hawks officers showed up to Molefe’s house as he was being arrested. Lieutenant General Dumisani Mbotho’s testimony at the commission revealed interference by Hawks members in the arrest, sparking concerns over police integrity.
The inquiry has heard contradictory testimony from several Hawks officials about their presence at the scene and participation in a WhatsApp group established to coordinate the verification operation.
The commission continues.
