Malcolm X Admits to Alerting Hawks Head During Attempted Arrest of Murder Accused KT Molefe
The storm surrounding the arrest of murder-accused Katiso “KT” Molefe has taken a sharp turn, with Johannesburg businessman and controversial figure Malcolm X stepping forward to admit that he was the one who alerted former Hawks head General Godfrey Lebeya on the day of the operation.
This follows KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s explosive allegations at a press conference on July 6, where he claimed that a team from Gauteng attempted to interfere with the arrest of Molefe, the alleged mastermind behind the 2024 murder of Vereeniging engineer and whistleblower Armand Swart.
It has since been confirmed that the intervention came at the request of Malcolm X, who says he was acting as a concerned citizen—not on behalf of Molefe—and that his intention was simply to verify the credentials of the officers effecting the arrest.
“I’ve never met KT Molefe in my life,” said Malcolm X in an interview. “I received a call from a client who was worried that the men outside his friend’s house weren’t real police. I went there, saw men in balaclavas, and asked questions. They refused to identify themselves. That’s when I called General Lebeya.”
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The Call That Sparked Confusion
According to both Malcolm X and General Lebeya, the call took place on December 6, 2024—the same day Molefe was arrested. Lebeya said he treated the call as a whistleblower tip and dispatched a team to verify whether the men at Molefe’s Sandhurst residence were legitimate members of the Hawks.
“I did not send a team to stop the arrest,” said Lebeya. “They were sent to confirm that those on scene were actual officers. Once that was clear, they left.”
Still, Mkhwanazi insisted the intervention was a form of interference and claimed he was never officially informed of any such verification mission from Gauteng. Malcolm X says this confusion could’ve been avoided had Mkhwanazi answered one of the three calls he made to clarify the situation days after the press briefing.
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Second Arrest and Political Fallout
The situation escalated further when Molefe was rearrested last week, this time in connection with the 2022 murder of musician Oupa John Sefoka, popularly known as DJ Sumbody. His reappearance in the headlines drew public attention again—especially when Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene was found at the scene of the arrest. Kunene has since taken a 30-day leave of absence and resigned from his political posts.
The optics of powerful individuals circling around Molefe have raised urgent questions about interference, loyalty, and the state of criminal justice leadership.
Spotlight on the Madlanga Commission
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s establishment of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry—set to probe corruption within the criminal justice system—now finds itself in the eye of the storm. Though its hearings are yet to begin, the commission is already being pressured to investigate the December 6 incident as part of its scope.
General Lebeya has said he will testify before the commission and now acknowledges that Malcolm X was the individual who called him. “I initially withheld the name because I considered him a whistleblower. But now that he has come forward publicly, I can confirm it was him,” Lebeya told Africa News Global.
Questions Around Malcolm X’s Intentions
Public reaction has been mixed. Malcolm X, known for handing out cash to the poor and styling himself as a philanthropist, is also currently facing corruption charges in a separate matter. He and three police officers are accused of soliciting a R580,000 bribe to prevent the arrest of a woman over alleged immigration fraud.
Critics argue that his presence at Molefe’s house was inappropriate and that his phone call—whatever the intent—added unnecessary confusion to a critical law enforcement operation. Others have called for more transparency around the relationships between businessmen, senior police officials, and suspects in major criminal investigations.
A System Under Scrutiny
The unfolding scandal now implicates the Hawks, SAPS, the NPA, and even the office of the Police Minister, who has reportedly been placed on special leave. It has ignited wider calls for accountability as South Africans grow increasingly weary of high-profile arrests disrupted or delayed by behind-the-scenes phone calls and political influence.
For now, KT Molefe remains in custody. But the reputational damage to law enforcement institutions—and the lingering question of just how deep the rot goes—will be left to the Madlanga Commission to confront.
