Warrant Officer Paul Radebe of the Hawks informed the Madlanga Commission on Tuesday that controversial Gauteng businessman Malcolm X visited his office in 2022 and showed him TikTok videos of himself providing food and cash to homeless people in Sandton, Johannesburg.
Radebe disclosed this information when the commission was hearing additional testimony from Hawks members about the December 6, 2024, police takedown operation at the alleged drug cartel member Katiso “KT” Molefe’s home in Sandhurst, Sandton.
Members of the Hawks’ serious organised crime investigation unit are providing testimony.
Only Radebe’s voice could be heard during his remote testimony; his face was hidden. As a field officer who performs undercover operations, Radebe requested that the commission not display his face.
He described to the commission how, on December 6, 2024, he and four other Hawks colleagues from the serious organised crime investigation unit ended up at Molefe’s house.
He said on the day of the police operation, they were conducting an operation on the East Rand.
Malcolm X found outside Molefe’s home
“We went to Bruma for a debrief. While we were debriefing, our team leader, Captain Dali Christaan Nortjie, received a call from Lt-Col Matlole. She asked him if we are near Sandton, and he said we are still in Bruma.
“She asked us to go to an address in Sandton because there are people there who say they are from the Hawks office. She asked us to verify who those members are,” said Radebe.
The Hawks team, according to Radebe, left Bruma shortly before 4.30pm and arrived at Molefe’s house at 5.14pm.
When the team got there, he reported seeing three black men standing beside a black Mercedes-Benz that was parked on the side of the road.
Radebe said he noticed a Sgt. Sipho Mthethwa from the police’s provincial investigation unit.
“I told Mthethwa that I know a man standing next to the black Mercedes Benz who is wearing a cap and spectacles and carrying a backpack,” Radebe said.
“I informed Mthethwa that the person was filming us and saying that we were from the Hawks. I recognised him, and he is Malcolm X.
“I know Malcolm X. He came to my office in 2022 as I was about to walk out and leave the building. He was knocking at the door, and I found him outside.”
Feeding homeless people in Sandton
He went on: “He told me that he is Malcolm X and informed me that he has some information. I allowed him into my office. He then showed me TikTok videos of him giving money and food to homeless people in Sandton.
“He said homeless people in Sandton provide him information, and he shares the information with police at the Sandton police station.
“He said he no longer trusts police and needed to share the information with someone, stating that he was directed to the Hawks. I told him he came to the right place and can share the information with me.
“I gave him my cellphone number, but he did not contact me, and I have not met him since then.”
Radebe said the Hawks left Molefe’s house at 5.24 after confirming that the police’s takedown operation was legitimate.
Radebe’s testimony was led by one of the commission’s evidence leaders, Adv. Lee Segeels-Ncube.
Earlier, Adv. Thabang Pooe, one of the commission’s evidence leaders, led the testimony of Nortjie.
- The commission continues.
