Gauteng Acting Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba says he will not take special leave amid allegations that he was paid R2.5-million to grant alleged drug cartel member Katiso “KT” Molefe bail in June.
Chief Justice Mandisa Maya revealed this news in a media statement on Thursday.
“The judiciary has noted, with great concern, the testimony given on October 21, 2025, by one ‘Witness A’ at the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System, known as the Madlanga commission, to the effect that he heard from an informer that a sum of R2.5-million was earmarked to secure bail for Mr Katiso ‘KT’ Molefe, although the witness did not know if this money was intended for the presiding judge, Acting Judge President Ledwaba, or the public prosecutor,” said Maya.
“This testimony, an allegation yet to be tested and proved at this stage, still has the potential of damaging the integrity of the judiciary, and we reiterate a plea that the judiciary has issued on numerous previous occasions — that any person who has evidence of a judge’s misconduct must promptly lodge a complaint against that judge with the Judicial Conduct Committee of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).”
Discussion held with Ledwaba
Maya continued: “The JSC is the constitutional body with the lawful mandate to investigate any alleged misconduct by a judge and, in terms of the provisions of the Judicial Service Commission Act 9 of 1994, recommend the suspension of the judge to the president, who is the functionary with the power to suspend a judge in terms of the constitution.
“The process of the JSC is triggered by a formal complaint on oath, which has not been done in this case. The chief justice has, however, discussed the matter with Ledwaba, including the possibility of granting him special leave pending finalisation of the Madlanga commission.
“Ledwaba, who strenuously denies receiving any money to grant Mr Molefe bail, has indicated that he will not take special leave, which a judge may not be forced to take and applies for voluntarily.
“He has also indicated that he is seeking legal advice and expressed a wish to be afforded an opportunity to give his side of the story at the Madlanga commission.
“The judiciary acknowledges its obligation to ensure that appropriate action is taken expeditiously where any judicial officer is found to have acted unlawfully or unethically and reasserts its commitment to its duty to serve all South Africans with impartiality and integrity.”
Ledwaba was tasked with presiding over Molefe’s bail appeal application, which was connected to the April 2024 murder of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart.
Swart was shot and killed on April 17, 2024, outside his Vereeniging-based workplace, Q Tech Engineering Company.
He was murdered because the alleged assailants thought he was a whistleblower employee.
Arrests in Swart’s murder
The murder of Swart led to the arrest in April 2024 of former SA Police Service detective Michael Pule Tau (55), as well as suspected hitmen Musa Kekana (35) and Tiego Floyd Mabusela (47).
In December of the same year, Molefe (61) was taken into custody and accused of Swart’s murder. Tau is currently free on bail, while Kekana and Mabusela were refused it in 2024.
In July 2024, Tau was placed under house arrest; he was arrested again in September for breaking his bail terms.
In June, Molefe was granted R100 000 bail by the Pretoria High Court. Ledwaba delivered the bail ruling. Ledwaba was the deputy judge president of Gauteng when he granted Molefe bail.
Molefe was initially denied bail by the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court, but after an appeal, the Pretoria High Court granted him bail.
Meanwhile, in July, Molefe was rearrested for the murder of club owner and musician Oupa John Sefoka, also known as DJ Sumbody.
Molefe was later granted R400 000 bail by the Johannesburg High Court on October 10 after appealing the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court decision that denied him release on bail.
