Former Hawks Boss Denies Obstructing Arrest of Alleged Crime Boss

Former Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) head Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya testified before the Madlanga Commission that he did not intentionally disrupt the arrest of Katiso Molefe on December 6, 2024. Molefe is accused of the murder of businessman Armand Swart. During the proceedings, Lebeya stated that he did not know Molefe and only dispatched officers to the scene after being contacted by a man known as Malcolm X. According to Lebeya, Malcolm X claimed that individuals impersonating Hawks officers were raiding the house under Lebeya's instructions. Lebeya testified that he sent senior managers to verify if imposters were using his name, as the DPCI had dealt with numerous cases of impersonation.

Evidence presented to the commission suggests a volatile standoff occurred between the Hawks and the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) and Gauteng Organised Crime Unit. A secret witness described Hawks members demanding entry at the gate, while Lebeya argued that the confusion resulted from a lack of communication. He stated that the situation could have been avoided if Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo, head of Crime Intelligence and the PKTT, had informed him of the operation. Lebeya noted that Khumalo had previously cited trust issues and fears of compromised units as reasons for excluding the Hawks.

Reports on the event differ in their framing. A center-left source emphasizes the systemic failure and factional rifts within the South African Police Service, highlighting that the incident exposed deep fault lines between various units. Conversely, a center-right source focuses on Lebeya's personal defense and his assertions of professional integrity, framing the testimony as a bid to clear his name against allegations of criminal infiltration.