‘Bullet from Armand Swart’s body brought to lab three months after murder’

According to Mkhabela’s testimony, on April 17, 2024, Swart was shot and killed at the Vereeniging, south of Gauteng, murder crime scene, where Warrant Officer Masha and Captain Makgotloe were on standby.

Suspects nabbed in Bramley
According to Mkhabela, while Makgotloe and Masha were busy processing the Vereeniging scene, rumours circulated that the people who shot Swart were apprehended in Bramley, Johannesburg, and that they were discovered in possession of guns, ammunition, and cartridges.

He claimed that following the post-mortem on August 12, 2024, a bullet was recovered from Swart’s body.

“One thing that I want the investigating officers to take note of is that the incident happened on the 17th of April 2024. One expects that the deceased [Swart] will be taken to the mortuary and an autopsy will be performed. The bullet was retrieved from the body.

“When you check the date that the bullet was brought to the lab, it was brought to the lab almost after three months. Where was that bullet? The bullet was only handed over on the 12th of August 2024.

These are some of the things that put us under pressure when the investigating officers want the ballistic report. The investigating officers will not consider the part they played in delaying the case.

“Surely, the autopsy was not performed around August [2024]. The bullet was lying somewhere, and someone delayed bringing it to the lab.

“It could not have taken three months for the autopsy to be done and for the bullet to be removed,” said Mkhabela.

Killed outside his workplace
Swart, who worked at Q Tech Engineering Company in Vereeniging, was shot and killed outside his workplace on April 17, 2024.

He was killed when hitmen mistook him for another employee, who is a whistleblower.

In April 2024, authorities arrested former SAPS detective Michael Pule Tau (55) and alleged hitmen Musa Kekana (35) and Tiego Floyd Mabusela (47) for Swart’s murder.

In December 2024, Katiso Molefe, a controversial businessman, was arrested and charged with Swart’s murder.

Kekana and Mabusela were denied bail last year, and Tau was granted bail. Tau was placed under house arrest in July last year and rearrested two months later after violating his bail conditions.

In June 2025, the Pretoria High Court released Molefe on R100 000 bail. The Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court had previously refused to grant Molefe bail, but after an appeal, the Pretoria High Court eventually granted him bail.

Meanwhile, in July, Molefe was rearrested 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 after appealing the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court decision that denied him release on bail.