The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has uncovered that a Hawks operation at the Sandhurst home of businessman and murder-accused Katiso “KT” Molefe was never officially recorded in the unit’s files.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Brigadier Lesiba Mokoena, head of the Hawks’ Tactical Operations Management Section (TOMS), and Captain Barry Kruger testified about the mysterious operation. Mokoena said the unrecorded activity happened as an “emergency,” which was why no inquiry number was created.
He explained that he had been contacted by Lieutenant-General Patrick Mbotho, who relayed concerns from the then Hawks head, Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya. They had received reports that people claiming to be Hawks officers were conducting an illegal raid at Molefe’s residence. Mokoena then dispatched Kruger and another officer to verify the situation.
Kruger testified that he set up a WhatsApp group for the operation and even reached out to the Gauteng Traffic Police Airwing and local security companies to confirm whether the raid was legitimate. Despite his efforts, neither he nor Mokoena could explain the presence of six to eight Hawks members at the scene wearing golf T-shirts marked with the unit’s logo.
When asked why he did not contact nearby police stations for verification, Kruger admitted he didn’t think to do so. He also revealed that the officers’ vehicle had worn-out tyres and no sirens, delaying their response.
Kruger said he was later told through WhatsApp that the raid was a “legitimate counter-intelligence operation” commanded by Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo. However, he still proceeded to the location to confirm firsthand.
The commission also heard that the Hawks members behaved aggressively toward other officers executing Molefe’s arrest warrant. Kruger took photos of the scene, identifying one man—later revealed to be Molefe’s relative—as the person who initially reported an “illegal operation” to the Hawks leadership.
Earlier testimony from Captain Maxwell Wanda, a former Political Killings Task Team officer, supported this claim. He said Mokoena later apologised for the confusion, admitting they had been misinformed.
The Madlanga Commission continues to investigate allegations of corruption and collusion among senior police, politicians, intelligence officers, and members of the judiciary.