Gauteng Traffic Police Pilot Claims Hawks Requested Helicopter Surveillance During Katiso Molefe Arrest

A Gauteng Traffic Police pilot revealed on Monday that the Hawks requested he hover a helicopter above the Sandton home of Katiso ‘KT’ Molefe during the suspect’s arrest.

The testimony was given before the Madlanga Commission, which is probing allegations of corruption in the justice sector. Monday’s session centred on the operation to apprehend Molefe, who is linked to a suspected criminal cartel.

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Chief provincial inspector George Raftopoulous told the commission he was informed there were “bogus cops” at Molefe’s residence.

The pilot said this followed previous operations in which the Gauteng Traffic Police assisted the Hawks in capturing individuals impersonating police officers.

Raftopoulous said that on 6 December 2024, Captain Barry Kruger of the Hawks contacted him to assist with the alleged bogus cop situation at the Sandton home.

While in the air, he received a message from Kruger on the operation’s WhatsApp group confirming that it was a legitimate police action.

Pilot Maintains He Was Told Operation Was Legitimate

“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,” Raftopoulous said.

When questioned by evidence leader Advocate Lee Segeels-Ncube, he confirmed: “That’s correct, commissioners.”

Kruger, however, previously testified at the commission that he never explicitly told Raftopoulous the operation was legitimate. Raftopoulous maintained that his confirmation came directly from Kruger via phone communication.

The testimony forms part of a broader inquiry into law enforcement practices and oversight, as the Madlanga Commission continues to examine controversial police operations linked to high-profile suspects.

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