Unanswered Questions Op-Ed: Faces of the Alleged Cartel Emerge in the Madlanga Commission’s ‘Big Five’ Reveal

For months, the Madlanga Commission had a name without faces. The “Big Five” syndicate appeared in whispers, WhatsApp logs and hesitant testimony from senior police officers who seemed more afraid of the alleged cartel than of the inquiry itself.

That changed on 2 September 2026, when the commission displayed a photograph identifying five men allegedly at the centre of the network. The men were Katiso “KT” Molefe, Steve Motsumi, Ignatius “Pheello” Mothakathi, Andrew “Boy” Mthethwa, also known as King Nyambose, and the late Jothan “Mswazi” Msibi.

The five are not necessarily the “Big Five”. The term is emerging as a loose description of a wider organised crime network. Still, evidence before the commission has repeatedly linked the men to its alleged leadership. The commission has also made clear that none has been convicted of the crimes alleged against them, and that its findings do not amount to court judgments.

Molefe appears to face the greatest legal exposure. He is on trial on more than 30 charges, including the killing of engineer Armand Swart, whose death has been linked in testimony to a disputed Transnet tender. Witnesses have described Molefe as a businessman with a violent parallel life, while his name has repeatedly surfaced in evidence concerning contract killings and efforts to manipulate state procurement.

Investigators have also placed Molefe, Msibi and Motsumi in an alleged plan to obtain covert surveillance equipment from a Czech company. The “grabber” technology could intercept cellphone communications and was supposedly being acquired for the South African Police Service, but investigators allege it was intended for resale to Eswatini.

Motsumi, a Johannesburg businessman with interests in construction, money lending and the taxi industry, had maintained a low profile in the northern suburbs. Testimony changed that. Witnesses, including senior police officers, described their reluctance to name him publicly because they feared the consequences. Motsumi has been linked to alleged leaks of confidential police information and the interception-technology scheme. Evidence also indicated that a former provincial Hawks chief was too afraid to say his name aloud.

Mothakathi has emerged as another connective figure, allegedly moving between the network’s core and police officials. The commission’s evidence has now placed names and faces alongside a syndicate that had long been discussed only in fragments.