A detective from the SAPS Organised Crime Unit, identified only as “Witness A,” gave startling testimony yesterday at the ongoing Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, linking a murder accused out on bail to a high-profile killing and alleging a senior police general attempted to bribe investigators.
The witness named and linked multiple murder accused Katiso Molefe, who is currently out on R400,000 bail, to cellphone communications associated with his co-accused in the murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart. Swart, an employee of Q Tech Engineering Company, was shot and killed while inside his vehicle outside his workplace in Vereeniging last year.
In a more severe allegation, Witness A provided detailed testimony on how the Head of Organised Crime, Major-General Richard Shibiri, allegedly attempted to “bait or influence” the investigation team probing Swart’s murder into accepting a bribe.
Following the testimony, criminal intelligence specialist Chad Thomas, appearing in a virtual interview, contextualized the revelations, describing the situation as “frankly frightening.” He stated that the testimony points to a deeper infiltration of the police service by criminal cartels than previously understood.
“We’re now hearing more names of more police officers who are supposedly or purportedly linked to the underworld and how the underworld has been able to compromise very senior members,” Thomas said.
He explained that the attempt to influence junior officers often comes “from the very top,” creating a perilous environment for honest police work. Thomas highlighted that South Africa is grappling with “organized crime on steroids,” which includes sophisticated networks involved in murder-for-hire, kidnap for ransom, and extortion.
A significant concern he raised is the “crossover between legitimate business and illegitimate business,” where individuals involved in illicit trades also secure government tenders, using underworld tactics in the overt economy.
While Thomas placed South Africa among the “top five most violent criminal societies in the world,” he offered a measure of hope. He argued the nation is not yet a “mafia state,” citing the existence of the Madlanga Commission itself, independent media, and dedicated police officers who continue their work despite intimidation and interference.
“The fact that we’ve got police officers that despite the interference from senior members are still willing to do their work… shows that our system is still working,” Thomas stated.
He concluded, however, that fixing the deep-seated rot within the South African Police Service requires medium to long-term solutions, including proper capacitation of detective units and the Hawks, rather than short-term political announcements.
The Madlanga Commission continues its inquiry today.
