Madlanga Commission: Ballistics Expert Says No AK-47 Cartridges Found at Armand Swart Murder Scene

• A ballistic expert has told the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that no AK-47 cartridges were found at the scene of Armand Swart’s 2024 murder
• Captain Laurance Makgotloe testified that the absence of ejected cartridge cases was inconsistent with how the AK-47 assault rifle normally operates, raising concerns that evidence may have been missed or removed
• He also revealed systemic problems in forensic reporting, saying extreme time pressures often lead to frequent typing errors in official statements

PRETORIA- A ballistic expert who analysed evidence in the murder of Armand Swart in Vereeniging in 2024 has told the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that no AK-47 cartridges were found at the crime scene. This is despite earlier indications that an AK-47 assault rifle was used to gun down Swart outside his workplace.

Captain Laurance Makgotloe, a Senior Forensic Analyst in the Automated Ballistics Identification System, began his testimony on Monday, 2 February 2026, under questioning from Advocate Teboho Mosikili. He was asked to clarify how investigators initially concluded that an AK-47 had been used in the killing.

Read also

Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus voices anxiety as Asenathi Ntlabakanye awaits doping hearing

Makgotloe explained that preliminary findings at the scene suggested the involvement of an assault rifle.

“At the scene we found two bullet cores of AK-47 and six AK-47 fired bullets. I would expect to find the AK-47 cartridge cases because they should have been ejected at the scene,” he said.

He added that the absence of cartridge cases was inconsistent with the normal operation of an AK-47, which automatically ejects spent cartridges when fired. The discrepancy has raised concerns about whether crucial evidence was missed, mishandled, or removed before forensic investigators arrived.

Makgotloe says mistakes are common in forensic statements

Earlier, Makgotloe told the commission that typing mistakes in expert statements often occur because analysts are given as little as 20 minutes to complete reports and are not allowed time to review their own work. He insisted the errors were “innocent mistakes attributable to time pressures”, saying there was “nothing sinister, nothing malicious”.

Read also

Pakistani woman arrested for practising medicine without qualifications for over a decade in Johannesburg

Makgoetloe painted a troubling picture of conditions inside the forensic laboratory, saying analysts are forced to prioritise quantity over quality because of severe time pressures. He said commissioners are required to type their own statements within strict time limits, even though most are not trained typists.

“We do not focus on the quality, we focus on the quantity,” he told the inquiry, attributing errors in reports to workload demands and staff shortages.

The commission is probing the handling of forensic evidence and investigative procedures in the Swart murder, with Makgotloe’s testimony expected to play a key role in assessing the reliability of ballistic findings.

Armand Swarts' murder linked to Katiso Molefe

The Armand Swart case has been prominent at the Madlanga Commission. Previously, the commission heard from Witness A that data recovered from multiple cellphones linked alleged organised-crime figure Katiso “KT” Molefe to the murder of engineer Armand Swart, suggesting Molefe orchestrated the hit on Swart, who was shot dead outside his Q-Tech workplace in 2024. Swart’s killing is alleged to be part of a broader web of criminal activity involving surveillance of the site days before the shooting and communication between Molefe and a police detective believed to be involved.

Read also

Armed robbers storm birthday party in Philippi, social media reacts

Previously, Briefly News reported that the Johannesburg High Court had granted controversial businessman Katiso “KT” Molefe R400,000 bail, overturning a previous decision by the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court that denied him release. Judge Brad Wanless ruled that exceptional circumstances justified Molefe’s release despite serious charges, including alleged involvement in the murder of DJ Sumbody.

Source: Briefly News