By Johnathan Paoli
Former Hawks boss Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya ended his testimony before the Madlanga Commission with a five-minute monologue, declaring himself “incorruptible” and rejecting the suggestion that he was part of a network of allegedly compromised police officials linked to organised crime.
Lebeya’s closing statement on Wednesday came after a bruising final morning in which he was pressed over photographs, text messages and his alleged links to people connected to the investigation into alleged underworld figure Katiso “KT” Molefe.
But the retired Lebeya continued to insist he did not know Molefe or several of the men whose names have repeatedly surfaced before the commission, and that the controversy had left a “cloud” hanging over him since July last year, when his name became associated with allegations of police corruption and misconduct.
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“The inclusion of my name suggests that I am one of the crooked former police officials. As proven by all witnesses who came before the commission, no one has hinted that I have received a cent in gratification from anybody. I cannot disappoint the people of…South Africans by betraying the trust vested in me. I am incorruptible,” Lebeya said.
His denial followed questions about photographs presented to the commission showing several men who have featured in testimony about the alleged “Big Five” criminal network.
The photograph included the late taxi boss Jothan “Mswazi” Msibi, Molefe and other men alleged to be part of the network.
Lebeya denied knowing the men, rejecting suggestions that his position as former head of the Hawks, including responsibility for serious organised crime, made his claimed lack of knowledge about them implausible.
Evidence leader Advocate Lee Segeels-Ncube described it as “very strange” that other senior police officials who testified before the commission appeared to know some of the men and were even reluctant to name them, while Lebeya maintained he had never heard of them.
“I don’t think it’s strange that we don’t know all people in South Africa,” Lebeya replied.
Lebeya was particularly challenged over a person referred to as “King Nyambose”.
A message from businessman and alleged police informant Malcolm X to Lebeya was presented to the commission in which X said Nyambose thanked the former Hawks boss for his assistance in sending police officers to Molefe’s home on 6 December, 2024.
Lebeya said he did not know Nyambose, had never met him and did not understand why Malcolm X had referred to him.
The commission questioned why, if Lebeya understood the reference, he had not sought clarity about who Nyambose was.
“It is incomprehensible that the head of the Hawks would not interrogate these issues,” Commissioner Sesi Baloyi said.
Lebeya nevertheless maintained that he had no relationship with the men pictured and no knowledge of an alleged organised crime group involving Msibi and Molefe.
He also said he did not know Molefe at the time of the December 2024 operation.
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His account of that operation centred on Malcolm X, whom Lebeya described as a police informant.
Lebeya said Malcolm X called him on December 6 and reported that men were at an address in Sandton claiming to be Hawks officials acting on his instructions.
According to Lebeya, X described unmarked vehicles without registration plates and men wearing balaclavas.
“He indicated that the members have got big cars which do not have registration plates, which are not marked, and some of these members are wearing balaclavas. Some of these people are wearing balaclavas,” he said.
Lebeya said he suspected the men were imposters and contacted the Gauteng Hawks head, Major-General Ebrahim Kadwa, who confirmed that no Hawks operation had been planned for the address.
He conceded, however, that he did not contact the provincial commissioner or local police station to establish whether another police unit was conducting the operation.
Malcolm X later sent him Molefe’s address, after which Lebeya said they spoke for about 27 seconds.
He could not remember exactly what they discussed but believed he was merely confirming receipt of the address.
Lebeya said he had no prior knowledge of Molefe before Malcolm X sent him the address.
He also said the alleged informant supplied vehicle registration numbers from the scene, which he forwarded to an officer, but he never received confirmation about whether the people at the address were legitimate police officers.
As he brought his testimony to a close, Lebeya turned from the allegations against him to his decades-long police career.
“I have conducted clean policing for over 40 years. I have not even pointed a weapon in the direction of anybody. I am a tool available to South Africa to contribute to the development of this, my beloved country. The leaders know my dream,” he said.
His final message was directed at those still fighting criminality from within law enforcement.
“May those who are fighting criminality, including corruption, not be discouraged by the behaviour of a handful of corrupt individuals. Continue to fight. We cannot afford to lose,” Lebeya said.
The commission continues.
