Lebeya Denies Knowing Molefe

Former Hawks head Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya has denied personally knowing alleged crime boss Katiso “KT” Molefe during his testimony before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in Pretoria.Patriotic Alliance Clears Kenny Kunene

Lebeya denies knowing Molefe despite previous testimony linking him to a controversial Hawks deployment at Molefe’s Sandhurst home during a police operation in December 2024.

“I do not know Mr Katiso Molefe. I was not contacted by Mr Katiso Molefe,” Lebeya told the commission on Thursday.

Lebeya explains controversial phone call

Lebeya testified that Johannesburg businessman Malcolm X contacted him on the day members of the Political Killings Task Team and Gauteng Organised Crime raided Molefe’s luxury home.

According to Lebeya, he was informed that people claiming to be Hawks officers were conducting an operation at the property but were allegedly refusing to identify themselves.

Lebeya said he instructed two senior Hawks managers to verify whether the people at the property were legitimate Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation officers.

He rejected suggestions that Molefe had contacted him directly or that his instructions were intended to interfere with the arrest operation.

Hawks officers sent to Molefe home

Previous testimony before the Madlanga Commission revealed that Hawks officers were dispatched to Molefe’s Sandhurst residence on 6 December 2024.

The Political Killings Task Team was conducting an operation related to the murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart.

Lieutenant-General Dumisani Mbotho, the Hawks’ divisional commissioner for National Priority Offences Operations, previously testified that Lebeya provided him with Molefe’s residential address.

Gauteng Hawks head Major-General Ebrahim Kadwa also told the inquiry that Lebeya instructed him to establish whether a legitimate police operation was underway at the property.

The arrival of Hawks officers led to allegations that the unit may have attempted to interfere with Molefe’s arrest. Hawks officials have disputed that interpretation, maintaining that they were only sent to verify the identity of the officers conducting the operation.

Lebeya disputes interference allegations

As Lebeya denies knowing Molefe, the commission is expected to examine why senior Hawks commanders were mobilised following information received from a private businessman.

Questions are also likely to focus on why the reported concern was escalated directly to the national head of the Hawks and whether appropriate procedures were followed before officers were sent to the scene.

Kadwa previously described Lebeya’s call concerning an active operation as unusual. He testified that Lebeya had never contacted him in that way about a live police operation before.

However, Kadwa said he was satisfied that Hawks members did not interfere with Molefe’s arrest.

Witness A, a detective involved in the operation, previously alleged that Hawks members arrived at the residence and demanded information about what was happening. The witness also described a Gauteng Traffic Police helicopter flying above the property during the raid.

Who is Katiso “KT” Molefe?

Molefe is a businessman facing serious criminal charges arising from several high-profile killings.

He has been accused of orchestrating the murder of engineer Armand Swart, who was shot outside his Vereeniging workplace in April 2024.

Molefe also faces charges relating to the killings of musician Oupa “DJ Sumbody” Sefoka and his bodyguard, Sibusiso “DJ Vintos” Radebe. The allegations against him remain subject to criminal proceedings, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

His murder trial is scheduled to run in the Johannesburg High Court from 26 October until 4 December 2026.

Madlanga Inquiry examines police conduct

The Madlanga Commission is investigating allegations of criminality, political interference and corruption within South Africa’s criminal justice system.

Lebeya’s evidence is important because several witnesses have mentioned his role in the events surrounding Molefe’s arrest.

The commission will assess his version against testimony from Hawks commanders, organised-crime investigators and other witnesses who participated in or had knowledge of the operation.

Proceedings are continuing in Pretoria.