The Madlanga Commission is set to hear from a third protected witness — identified only as Witness C — when proceedings resume today in Pretoria. Like the first two witnesses this week, Witness C will testify in camera (behind closed doors) due to the sensitive nature of their work and the risk it poses to their safety.
Witnesses A and B, both linked to organised crime investigations in Gauteng, have painted a deeply troubling picture of widespread interference in police operations, manipulation of evidence, and high-level collusion between senior law enforcement officials and criminal cartels.
Their testimony has already sent shockwaves through the justice sector, exposing alleged connections between crime bosses, police generals, and even elements of the judiciary.
Earlier this week, both witnesses named senior officers who they claimed tried to derail investigations into the 2023 murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart — a case that, they said, “unravelled the big five criminal syndicate in Gauteng.”
On Tuesday, Witness A alleged that information obtained from informants suggested a R2.5 million payment had been set aside to secure bail for alleged underworld figure Katiso “KT” Molefe, who is accused of masterminding Swart’s murder.
The witness said he and his team were told in advance that Molefe would be granted bail, and that “money had already exchanged hands.”
Molefe was initially denied bail in the magistrate’s court but was later released by Acting Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba in the Gauteng High Court — a decision now under scrutiny.
Both Witness A and Witness B questioned the judge’s reasoning, saying his ruling lacked detail on the “exceptional circumstances” required to justify bail.
Ledwaba has since denied any wrongdoing, calling the accusation “unfounded and damaging to the judiciary’s integrity.”
Chief Justice Mandisa Maya also issued a statement cautioning that while the allegation was untested, it had the potential to harm public confidence in the courts. She urged anyone with evidence of judicial misconduct to file a formal complaint with the Judicial Conduct Committee.
Witness B, meanwhile, told the commission that she “felt deeply uncomfortable” during Molefe’s bail hearing, claiming the outcome “appeared predetermined.”
She said she even asked to withdraw from court proceedings after the judge downplayed Molefe’s prior conviction.
Today’s testimony from Witness C is expected to continue along the same thread — probing the internal rot within law enforcement and how organised crime allegedly infiltrated policing units, case management, and even the justice process.
While the session will not be open to the public, the commission’s chair, Justice Madlanga, confirmed that a redacted transcript will later be made available to ensure transparency.
The Madlanga Commission was established to investigate criminal interference in the justice system, political meddling, and corruption within policing and prosecution services.
Watch the live broadcast of the Madlanga Commission below:
