Acting Sedibeng District Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Brig Mbangwa Nkhwashu told one of the investigating officers in the murder case of Vereeniging engineer Armand Swart that he is a “suspect” in the case.
This information was revealed by Witness B on Wednesday at the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into criminality, political interference, and corruption in the criminal justice system.
Wednesday’s proceedings at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria were held partially in camera.
Witness B is a detective of the SAPS’ organised crime unit. She is testifying about her experiences in investigating crimes related to the criminal cartels. Also about attempts that have been made to interfere with these investigations.
Her testimony was led by evidence leader Adv Thapelo Pooe.
Request for dockets
During her testimony, Witness B said on April 16 she received a call from a Col Grant Ling from Vereeniging. He told her that Nkhwashu wants certain dockets from her as directed by Gauteng provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Tommy Mthombeni.
Witness B said she told Ling that she does not have the Swart murder case docket. The docket was with the office of the Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
She said she got the number of Nkhwashu from Ling and called him.
Witness B said she called Nkhwashu and told him that the Swart murder case docket is with the Gauteng DPP.
“He [Nkhwashu] told me he got an instruction from the [Gauteng] provincial commissioner [Mthombeni] that all the district commissioners must collect all dockets and send them to the provincial commissioner. He said if they do not submit the dockets, they will face disciplinary steps.
“I told him that the docket is with the DPP. He said that is fine, and that I should write a report detailing that and send it to him via email,” said Witness B.
Confession about being a suspect
“He called me shortly thereafter and asked if the docket I am investigating is the one that has Katiso Molefe as a suspect. I said yes. Then he told me that he wants nothing to do with that docket because he is a suspect in the case. He said I must not give him the docket. He said I must give it directly to the provincial commissioner,” said Witness B.
The April 16 2025 recordings of the two phone calls between Witness B and Nkhwashu were played at the commission for all to listen to.
In one of the recordings, Nkhwashu is heard telling Witness B in IsiZulu that Witness B must not give him the Swart murder case docket because he is a suspect in the case.
Swart worked at Q Tech Engineering Company based in Vereeniging. He was shot and killed outside his workplace on April 17 2024.
He was killed when the alleged hitmen mistook him for another employee, who is a whistleblower.
Former SAPS detective Michael Pule Tau (55) and alleged hitmen Musa Kekana (35), Tiego Floyd Mabusela (47) were arrested in April last year for Swart’s murder.
Molefe out on bail
Katiso “KT” Molefe (61) was arrested and charged with the murder of Swart in December last year.
Kekana and Mabusela were denied bail last year and Tau was granted bail last year.
Tau was placed under house arrest in July last year. He was rearrested in September last year after violating his bail conditions.
Molefe was granted R100, 000 bail in June by the Pretoria High Court.
In July, Molefe was rearrested. This time it was for the murder of club owner and musician Oupa John Sefoka, also known as DJ Sumbody.
He was later granted R400, 000 bail by the Johannesburg High Court on October 10. This was after appealing the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court decision that denied him bail.
The commission continues on Thursday at 9.30am with the testimony of Witness B.
