Gauteng Traffic Police pilot says Hawks requested he hover over Molefe’s house during arrest

A pilot from the Gauteng Traffic Police said he was requested by the Hawks to hover above the house of Katiso ‘KT’ Molefe with a helicopter during the suspected cartel member's arrest.

Testifying before the Madlanga Commission on Monday morning, chief provincial inspector George Raftopoulous said he was told there were “bogus cops” at Molefe’s house.

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The Madlanga Commission has been established to investigate claims of corruption in the justice sector, with Monday’s proceedings focusing on the takedown operation of Molefe at his Sandton home.

On 6 December 2024, Raftopoulous said that he got a call from Captain Barry Kruger of the Hawks to assist in an operation of bogus cops at a Sandton home.

He said prior to that, Gauteng Traffic Police previously assisted the Hawks in two operations where they apprehended people impersonating police officers.

Raftopoulous said while he was in the air, he saw a message from Kruger on the operation’s WhatsApp group that it was a legitimate police operation taking place at the Sandton home.

“The information was received from Captain Kruger. I telephonically phoned him on his WhatsApp that he forwarded [on the group]. It was a legitimate operation.”

Evidence leader Advocate Lee Segeels-Ncube asked, “So, he told you this telephonically?”

“That’s correct, commissioners,” replied Raftoupoulus.

Kruger has previously testified at the commission that he never told Raftopoulous it was a legitimate operation, but Raftopoulous insisted he got the information from Kruger over the phone.

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