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CAPE TOWN - A police investigator who spent two days testifying before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has concluded his evidence by expressing deep gratitude to KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi for his ‘explosive’ media briefing on July 6, which he said exposed the hidden challenges faced by honest police officers.
The investigator, known as Witness A, told the commission that Mkhwanazi’s public briefing was the best thing that could have happened to South Africa, because it brought to light issues that were long concealed within police ranks. “The public is made aware of the challenges investigators, ordinary, honest officers face when we are trying to do our job. As an ordinary police officer, not a general or commander, you feel you do not have the authority, capacity or courage to speak out against these things for fear of retaliation,” he said.
The briefing empowered officers who had long felt unable to speak out for fear of retaliation and it helped their families understand the dangers of their work, he said. “I have no doubt that had it not been for the briefing, the internal pressure on Witness B and me to compromise the investigation would have grown worse, as the investigation progressed and the trial date was closer.”
Witness A was part of the team investigating Katiso ‘KT’ Molefe, a suspect linked to the murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart and later implicated in the killing of musician DJ Sumbody. He testified on how they faced resistance, possible tampering and bribery attempts.
On Tuesday, he told the commission Molefe’s bail appeal was marked by irregularities and alleged interference attempts. Molefe was arrested on December 6, 2024, with his initial bail application dismissed by the Vereeniging Magistrates Courts on April 2, 2025.
According to the investigator, Molefe became angry after being denied bail, claiming people had met with the magistrate at 3am to influence the outcome. Molefe also accused police generals of plotting against him, alleging his arrest and prosecution were part of a broader plan to ‘take him down’.
Evidence Leader Advocate Mahlape Sello and Madlanga Commission of Inquiry Spokesperson Jeremy Michaels at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria. (Pic: TimesLIVE)