Madlanga Commission hears claims of friendship between KT Molefe and Police Minister Mchunu

A bodyguard/driver of controversial businessman and murder-accused Katiso ‘KT’ Molefe told task team members effecting Molefe’s arrest that he (Molefe) is friends with now suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.

This was revealed by Captain Maxwell Wanda, a former member of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), who was at the time deployed to assist the Gauteng team of detectives investigating the murder of Vereeniging engineer, Armand Swart. 

Swart was shot and killed when hitmen allegedly mistook him for a colleague who had exposed tender corruption linked to Transnet.

Wanda was testifying before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry about what transpired in Sandhurst when the members were effecting the arrest of Molefe.

The captain said that, after an interaction with the members of the Hawks, who had come to the scene to enquire and stop the ‘bogus’ operation, he walked back towards the house. 

“Before I entered the back entrance, Mr Lehasa Moloi (Molefe’s bodyguard/driver) was just seated there, but guarded by combat members. And he asked me for an excuse for which I attended to him,” the witness said.

Wanda added that Moloi started interacting with him, asking for the services of the water and a cigarette. The witness stated that he then called Molefe’s son to come and assist with water and a cigarette, which he organised, and it was served by Molefe’s son. 

“When he was done before I left him, he asked me a question that, ‘Captain, what is gonna happen now because the arrested person is a friend of the minister?’ Then I asked him, ‘Who is that minister?’. Then he said, ‘The Minister of Police’. I then said Honourable Senzo Mchunu? And he said ‘yes’. I then explained to him just a standard procedure if a person is arrested,” Wanda said.

He added that he did not ask Moloi further questions, as he had to attend to the takedown operation. 

The witness also told the commission that he viewed the presence of the Hawks members at the scene as possible interference.

He had identified some with Hawks golf T-shirts, which they were wearing, while others were in civilian clothing.

Wanda stated that his commander had not mentioned that there would be Hawks members joining the team effecting the arrest of Molefe.

“The presence of the Hawks was concerning to me, because they came in numbers, I did not expect them to be present at the scene. They were aggressive, imposing questions on me about the case. This didn’t sit well with me. Why such a big number (six to eight members in Hawks golf T-shirts)? If they had asked a question in a friendly manner, it wouldn’t have been a problem,” Wanda said.

He added that they had to pause the takedown operation and go outside to attend to the Hawks members.

Wanda added that under normal circumstances, members from a local police station would be activated to confirm the legitimacy of the operation.

The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry is investigating allegations of collusion and corruption between politicians, senior police, prosecutors, intelligence operatives, and elements of the judiciary, levelled by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

gcwalisile.khanyile@inl.co.za