Witness A: Molefe tied to murder of Transnet whistleblower Armand Swart | Madlanga Commission
Damning allegations unfolded at the Madlanga Commission on Monday, with a witness naming underworld kingpin, Katiso Molefe, as the mastermind who ordered the hit on Transnet whistleblower, Armand Swart.
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Damning allegations unfolded at the Madlanga Commission on Monday, with a witness naming underworld kingpin, Katiso Molefe, as the mastermind who ordered the hit on Transnet whistleblower, Armand Swart.
Swart, an engineer, was fatally shot in Vereeniging on the morning of April 17, 2024, in what has now been confirmed as a mistaken identity hit.
The dramatic revelations were made by Witness A, an investigator who traced phone records, surveillance movements, and digital communications that link Molefe to the planning and orchestration of the murder.
According to Witness A, just five days before the killing, Molefe contacted Michael Pule Tau, a police detective from Johannesburg Central SAPS, in a 119-second phone call at 11:36 am on April 12.
Tau returned the call minutes later and arrived at Molefe’s residence shortly after midday.
Later that afternoon, Tau requested the name of a company via WhatsApp, to which Molefe responded at 2:39 pm with “Q Tech”—Swart’s employer and the suspected source of whistleblowing activity within Transnet.
The evidence forms part of a detailed digital footprint analysis that investigators used to piece together the planning of the hit.
Swart was gunned down in the early hours of April 17.
That same morning, Tau messaged Molefe: "Morning abuti re sharp neh" meaning “Morning Brother, we are fine” at 08:17am, a code Witness A said this was meant to confirm the hitmen were “clear” and not apprehended.
Shortly after, a white Hyundai i20, later linked to the crime scene, was seen at the residence of co-accused Musa Kekana.
The vehicle had been hijacked in Sunnyside in January 2024 and used with duplicate license plates registered to an elderly woman.
Police later arrested Tau, Kekana, and another suspect, Floyd Mabusela, recovering evidence that included a license plate connected to surveillance activity near Q Tech days before Swart's killing.
Witness A revealed the murder team had conducted “scouting missions” to profile their target.
However, they ultimately killed the wrong man, mistakenly believing Swart to be the whistleblower exposing corruption at Transnet.
Shockingly, investigator say had they not moved swiftly, key ballistics evidence—spent cartridges—would likely have been destroyed, wiping out critical links between the suspects and the murder weapon.
Molefe's alleged involvement doesn’t stop with Swart.
Mabusela and Kekana also face attempted murder charges in the October 2023 hit on actress and socialite Tebogo Thobejane.
The hit, believed to have been ordered by Molefe’s associate and fellow tenderpreneur Vusimusi "Cat" Matlala, was allegedly linked to a personal vendetta.
Witness A confirmed that a third vehicle, also under scrutiny, is registered to Mabusela’s daughter, further entangling family members in the case.
The commission heard that days before the murder, Molefe sent Tau the name and phone number of a Q Tech employee—believed to be the intended target.
Tau then contacted a woman named Lerato for additional information, which she confirmed in a signed police statement.
The Madlanga Commission continues this week, with more witnesses expected to testify about the sprawling underworld network behind state-linked assassinations.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
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