A police detective testifying under the pseudonym Witness B has detailed how a woman appeared to boast that alleged criminal cartel member and murder accused, Katiso “KT” Molefe, would “make the Armand Swart case disappear.”
The startling claim was made during proceedings at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in Pretoria, which is probing allegations of corruption and political interference within the criminal justice system.
Witness B, who serves as a detective within the South African Police Service (SAPS), testified in camera for her protection. She recounted an incident that took place at the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court in April 2024, when three suspects – Warrant Officer Pule Tau, Musa Kekana, and Tiego Mabusela – appeared in connection with Swart’s murder.
Swart, an employee of a Vereeniging engineering firm, was gunned down outside his workplace in April 2024. He was shot 23 times while sitting in his bakkie, in what investigators believe was a targeted hit.
According to Witness B, while she and her colleagues were attending the court appearance, a woman nearby began making remarks that seemed deliberately provocative.
“She was saying it out loud, more like bragging,” the witness told the commission. “And intentionally so, because we were close by. It’s like when someone is trying to indirectly convey a message to you, without saying it directly – but knowing very well that you will get the message.”
Witness B said the woman’s tone and timing made it clear the comment was intended for the detectives’ ears.
“She said, ‘KT will make this thing disappear,’” the detective continued. “We didn’t understand where it came from or why it was necessary – and why she said it so loudly and so boastfully, right next to us.”
The detective told the commission the remark reinforced concerns within the investigative team that powerful figures were working behind the scenes to derail the Swart murder investigation.
The Madlanga Commission, chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, has heard a series of explosive testimonies in recent weeks, painting a picture of deep-seated interference in major criminal cases.
Molefe, who has been linked to an alleged organised crime network, is currently facing charges related to Swart’s murder.
The inquiry continues.