Hawks Boss Breaks Silence on Confusion Surrounding Raid at ‘KT’ Molefe’s Home

The head of the Hawks’ Tactical Operations Unit, Brigadier Lesiba Mokoena, has confirmed that he dispatched officers to verify the legitimacy of a police raid at the home of alleged criminal Katiso “KT” Molefe a move that has sparked fresh questions about coordination and internal oversight within South Africa’s law enforcement ranks.

A Raid Shrouded in Confusion

Testifying before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in Pretoria, Mokoena explained that he was instructed by a superior to check whether the December 2024 operation at Molefe’s home was an authorised police action.

According to his testimony, the Political Killings Task Team had launched the raid to arrest Molefe in connection with the murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart. But what was meant to be a high-profile arrest soon descended into chaos, as reports emerged of a separate group of “aggressive” Hawks officers attempting to interfere with the task team’s operation.

Mokoena maintained that he only sent two Hawks officers to the scene to verify the raid’s legitimacy, not to obstruct it. “When the division commander gave me an instruction, he said there are members alleging to be from the Hawks and with General Lebeya. I instructed my members to go to Molefe’s address to confirm if it’s a legit police operation,” he told the commission.

The Broader Picture

Katiso “KT” Molefe’s name has surfaced repeatedly in some of Gauteng’s most violent criminal investigations. Ballistic testing has reportedly linked him to an AK-47 rifle used in the murders of well-known figures including DJ Sumbody and DJ Vintos, while police have been probing at least 10 high-profile cases connected to the same weapon.

The case has highlighted ongoing challenges within the South African Police Service (SAPS), where inter-departmental friction particularly between the Hawks and special task teams has often undermined investigations into organised and political crime.

Public and Political Reactions

South Africans on social media have been quick to react to the testimony, with many expressing concern about what they see as “chaotic policing” and blurred lines between elite units. “If the Hawks can’t tell who’s real and who’s fake among themselves, how can the public trust any raid?” one user posted on X.

Others have called for clearer oversight and accountability, especially given the sensitivity of political killings cases currently under review by the Madlanga Commission.

Why It Matters

The confusion around the Molefe raid speaks to deeper systemic issues within South Africa’s law enforcement structure from overlapping mandates to mistrust between divisions. For citizens, it raises uncomfortable questions about transparency and coordination in cases involving powerful or high-risk suspects.

As the Madlanga Commission continues its work, the testimony of Brigadier Mokoena adds yet another twist to a saga that has exposed just how fractured the country’s fight against organised and political crime has become.

{Source:EWN}

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