A shocking revelation has emerged at the #MadlangaCommission, linking Katiso “KT” Molefe — recently released on R400,000 bail for his alleged role in DJ Sumbody’s murder — to the brutal assassination of Transnet whistleblower, Armand Swart. The explosive testimony sheds light on how Molefe allegedly masterminded the 23-bullet execution of Swart in April 2024, a killing that has become a chilling symbol of corruption-fueled violence in South Africa.
According to protected Witness A, Molefe coordinated the hit alongside Warrant Officer Michael Pule Tau, a former Johannesburg Central SAPS officer now accused of moonlighting as a professional hitman. At the commission, evidence was presented showing that at 8:17 a.m. — just minutes after Swart’s murder — Tau sent Molefe a text message reading, “Morning Abuti re sharp neh,” seemingly confirming the successful completion of the deadly mission.
Swart, a 42-year-old engineer from Vereeniging, had reportedly exposed inflated Transnet tender markups, placing him in the crosshairs of powerful figures within the network. On 17 April 2024, as he arrived at Q-Tech Engineering, two gunmen ambushed him in a hail of bullets, firing 23 rounds before fleeing in a white Hyundai i20. The ferocity of the attack left the community and his colleagues stunned, sparking an intensive investigation into the nexus between corruption and contract killings.
CCTV footage submitted to the commission revealed Tau’s silver Mercedes-Benz Viano surveilling Swart’s workplace the day before the hit. The next morning, the same vehicle was spotted in the vicinity shortly before the gunfire erupted. The Hyundai i20, later identified as the getaway car, was discovered at the home of suspect Musa Kekana during subsequent police raids. Forensic tests confirmed traces of gunpowder residue and matching ballistic evidence on the recovered weapons.
During the arrests in Bramley and Kliprivier, investigators seized five mobile phones, including Tau’s primary device and two burner phones used for covert communication. Digital forensic analysis uncovered a pattern of frequent calls and messages between Tau and Molefe in the days leading up to Swart’s assassination. The conversations allegedly detailed logistics, surveillance, and payment arrangements tied to the murder plot.
Police also confiscated a bag containing a rifle, two pistols, 15 cartridges, and a rim from Tau’s Viano — items now entered as key evidence linking the suspects to the crime. The commission heard that Tau and Molefe were part of a broader criminal network believed to carry out assassinations tied to state corruption and tender disputes.
Witness A, one of only two surviving investigators from the original five-member team probing Swart’s murder, is now testifying from a secure, undisclosed location. The #MadlangaCommission is expected to examine whether systemic police corruption and organised-crime interference obstructed justice in the case. As revelations unfold, the chilling overlap between the underworld and law enforcement continues to raise grave questions about accountability and the safety of whistleblowers in South Africa.
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