‘I don’t know Katiso “KT” Molefe’: Lebeya tells Madlanga Inquiry

Retired Hawks head Dr Godfrey Lebeya has testified in the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that he is unaware of murder suspect Katiso "KT" Molefe and denied any involvement in disrupting an intelligence operation at Molefe's residence. On December 6, 2024, Molefe was arrested by the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) on suspicion of involvement in the murder of Armand Swart, a Vereeniging engineer.

Lebeya attributes the arrival of multiple police units at Molefe's house during the raid to the failure of the police crime intelligence division to communicate effectively and work in unison. He stated, "I do not know Mr Katiso Molefe. I was not contacted by Mr Katiso Molefe; I was contacted by Malcolm X. I directed two senior managers to verify the allegations from individuals claiming to be members of the DPCI (Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation) and to have been sent by me.

I have never instructed the members of the DPCI to interrupt a legitimate police operation." Earlier, Lebeya's legal representative, Advocate Eric Nwedo, complained to the commission that his client's request for legal representation funded by the South African Police Service (SAPS) was denied, forcing Lebeya to attend the inquiry at his own expense.

Nwedo questioned SAPS's decision, pointing out that a similar application was approved for Dr Olivier when he appeared before the Khampepe Commission. In November 2025, Dr Lebeya formally requested legal representation within the SAPS, but his request was declined, as confirmed by a notification dated January 6, 2026.