PRETORIA, GAUTENG — Explosive allegations have surfaced at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, linking Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) president Julius Malema to alleged cartel boss Katiso “KT” Molefe. The claims, made by a witness testifying at the public hearings on 21 October 2025, have sent shockwaves through South Africa’s political landscape.
According to testimony reported by *IOL*, the witness alleged that Malema and Molefe shared a close personal relationship. Molefe, who is also linked to suspended Deputy National Police Commissioner General Shadrack Sibiya, is suspected of deep involvement in organized crime networks allegedly infiltrating South Africa’s criminal justice system. The testimony took place at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria, where the Commission continues to probe widespread corruption and criminal interference in law enforcement.
The witness further claimed that connections between Malema, Molefe, and Sibiya were established through high-level sources familiar with internal police dealings. These revelations come amid ongoing scrutiny of how criminal cartels allegedly manipulated senior officials for political and financial gain.
### Background to the Madlanga Commission
President Cyril Ramaphosa established the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on 13 July 2025 after placing Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave. The move followed a dramatic press briefing by General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who accused Mchunu and Sibiya of disbanding the Political Killings Task Team—allegedly under pressure from powerful criminal networks. Mkhwanazi further alleged that Mchunu maintained close ties with an accused crime boss, Vusumuzi Matlala, who reportedly acted as his political sponsor.
Following these shocking claims, Sibiya was suspended, and Parliament formed an Ad Hoc Committee to investigate the allegations. The Commission’s mandate expanded to uncover how organized crime groups penetrated top levels of the police service, influencing political and criminal investigations.
### Testimonies Uncover Deep Corruption
The Madlanga Commission’s proceedings have been marked by dramatic revelations and security concerns. Public hearings were temporarily suspended after the safety of Witness X—one of the key whistleblowers—was compromised. Nonetheless, the witness later resumed testimony, alleging that Hawks’ KwaZulu-Natal head General Lesetja Senona had personal ties to Matlala.
Another witness, identified as Witness A, told the Commission that investigators were bribed and intimidated following the murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart. Evidence reportedly linked Molefe to ordering Swart’s assassination—a crime for which he was arrested in 2024. These developments have further fueled suspicions of a deep-rooted criminal network operating within law enforcement.
### Other High-Profile Implications
Crime expert Calvin Rafadi resigned from his research position at the University of Johannesburg after being named in the Commission’s proceedings. In a related case, businessman Brown Mogotsi was also formally implicated after witnesses claimed he exchanged messages with Matlala, alerting him about the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team.
President Ramaphosa has stated that he will comment on the findings only after the Commission concludes its hearings. Meanwhile, the public remains divided—some calling for transparency and justice, others warning of political manipulation behind the explosive testimonies.
The Madlanga Commission continues to expose alleged ties between political figures, police generals, and underworld operatives—signaling what could be one of the most consequential investigations in South Africa’s modern political history.
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