Two audio recordings were played on Thursday, revealing warnings given to the nephew.
Businessman Katiso “KT” Molefe’s purported links to the criminal syndicate known as the “Big Five,” and the cartel’s alleged protection of his nephew – the prime suspect in the murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart – dominated proceedings at the Madlanga commission on Thursday.
Witness B – a police officer – resumed her testimony before the commission, taking place at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria.
The commission is investigating allegations of criminality, political interference, and corruption within South Africa’s criminal justice system.
The protection of Lucky Molefe
Swart’s assassination on 17 April 2024, thought to have been a case of mistaken identity, was triggered by his employer, Q Tech, uncovering tender irregularities at Transnet.
Katiso’s nephew Lucky Molefe – an employee at Transnet Freight Rail – was at the center of the tender controversy.
Although the killing led to the arrests of Katiso, former police detective Michael Pule Tau, and suspected hitmen Musa Kekana and Tiego Floyd Mabusela, Lucky is still at large.
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On Thursday, Witness B testified that Lucky is being protected by the “Big Five” cartel.
She told the commission that an “intense manhunt” was launched after police were unable to apprehend him on 6 December, but he has since gone into hiding.
“There were messages from the Big Five that said we are willing to take the boy under our wing and make sure that the police don’t get a hold of him,” the witness said.
She added that Katiso’s son Thapelo Molefe is also on the run, despite not being actively pursued by police.
WhatsApp voice notes
Two audio recordings were played during proceedings, revealing warnings given to Lucky to evade arrest.
In the first recording, Lucky’s sister Lebo Molefe sent him a voice note advising him to go into hiding, avoid his home, car, and girlfriend’s place, as police were trying to catch him.
Lebo, who called Lucky “Tshepo”, also mentioned the Big Five cartel, referring to them as “bo malome” (the uncles), according to Witness B.
The second recording captured Katiso’s partner Fundiswa telling Lebo to instruct Lucky to “stay far away from Soweto” and not return to work “until further notice”.
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She added that “abo bhuti” (the brothers) would arrange a safe house for him.
Fundiswa confirmed that Thapelo was safe, adding: “If Tshepo [Lucky] wants to get drunk, tell him to buy a bottle and stay at home.”
Witness B highlighted that both Fundiswa and Lebo voluntarily handed their phones to police, which led to the discovery of the WhatsApp messages.
Plot to kill investigators
Witness B also testified that after Katiso’s arrest, she was contacted by an inmate from the prison where he was being held.
“He invited me to come see him because he had some information that he needed to share with me.”
She said the inmate kept calling repeatedly until she finally agreed to meet him.
The inmate stated that he had been held in the same facility as Tau, where Katiso was also imprisoned.
“He informed me that he was told by Tau that there was a plot to eliminate the investigating officers that are investigating this [Swart] case.
“He told this inmate that he was arrested for un-aliving (sic) a certain white man in Vereeniging.”
READ MORE: Armand Swart murder: investigator details how they allegedly linked Katiso Molefe to case
The inmate further alleged that R350 000 had been offered for the killings of the investigators, with R50 000 already paid as a down payment.
He also claimed that Katiso – currently out of bail of R100 000 and R400 000 – was responsible for ensuring investigators received incorrect ballistic reports related to the weapons used in Swart’s assassination.
According to the witness, delays in analysing the firearms from Swart’s murder also slowed other major cases, including the 2023 attempted murder of actress Tebogo Thobejane, who is the former partner of alleged Big Five member Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
Kekana and Mabusela – suspects in both cases – were initially arrested along with Matlala and his wife, Tsakani, but the case was struck off the roll due to delays in ballistic testing.
Witness B’s team later took over the case with the political killings task team, leading to Matlala’s arrest on 14 May this year.
His home had been raided on 6 December.
Firearms linked to multiple murders
Witness B confirmed that the firearms (AK-47 and three pistols) recovered during Swart’s murder probe were linked to at least 30 other cases – both in court and under investigation.
These cases included the killings of Oupa “DJ Sumbody” Sefoka, his two bodyguards, Sibusiso Mokoena and Sandile Myeza, as well as Hector “DJ Vintos” Buthelezi and Don Tindleni.
The witness stated that it soon became clear the investigating team was confronting the Big Five cartel, also referred to as “The Firm” or “The Farm”.
She alleged that the late taxi boss Jothan “Mswazi” Msibi, who died in January 2024, was the network’s leader.
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“He would be referred to as the president and the rest of the executive are maybe the ministers if I may put it like that, of which that formed the Big Five cartel.
“What I will say is that it’s not limited to five people. There’s a lot more people that don’t have titles, but they are part of the so-called Farm.”
Witness B said the “fixers” included high-ranking police officers, while the hitmen were “pawns”.
She further informed the commission that some top hitmen declined jobs and referred them to others.
The police officer stressed that arresting those hitmen would not solve the problem – the masterminds must be targeted instead.
Threats to witnesses’ lives
Witness B also described the constant threats faced by her and other investigators – are currently housed in safe locations.
The investigator remarked that it is easy to be killed in such cases because some of “our own” are involved.
“Some people you may think are close to you and have got your best interests at heart, only to find out that they are the ones that are going to sell you out.”
She emphasised that she and her colleagues have been “detached” from their families.
“We have children that don’t understand this situation,” she said, adding that she can’t even take her children to church.
The witness also thanked KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi for exposing police corruption during his 6 July media briefing.
“I will die peacefully knowing I was doing the right thing and the whole country knows what causes I died for.”
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