Kenny Kunene
By Thabo Mosia
Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene has come out swinging against rumours that swirled after he was seen leaving the Hawks offices in Germiston. He insists he was there to blow the whistle on a bold extortion plot, not as someone in hot water with the law. This revelation follows weeks of wild guesses online, with fake posts even claiming cops had a warrant out for him. Kunene’s story shines light on a sneaky scam where crooks pose as top cops to shake down folks for cash, a trick that’s hit many but often stays hidden.
The drama kicked off back in May, pulling Kunene into a web of threats and traps. It ties into his recent brush with trouble at a murder suspect’s pad, but he says that’s all cleared up now. As South Africans grapple with rising crime and fake officials, Kunene’s tale warns everyone to stay sharp and report these cons. His push to nail the bad guys shows why speaking up matters, even for big names.
From Fake Calls to a Citizen’s Trap
It all started with a dodgy call in May. A man claiming to be General Masunuke from the Hawks rang Kunene, saying he was under probe for some crime. The caller flashed a Hawks logo and a real officer’s pic on his profile to seem legit. He warned Kunene jail time loomed unless he coughed up cash to make it go away. 
Kunene smelled a rat right away. “I knew I was clean,” he said. The fake general kept phoning, upping the pressure for R50,000. Kunene played along, promising a bit to keep the guy hooked, while he plotted his next move. He reached out to real Hawks officers for help.
On 12 June, he met Warrant Officer Thabo Lefophane. Kunene showed the caller’s number and profile, which used Captain Lefa Lebitso’s photo. Lefophane confirmed it was his colleague’s pic but not his number. He set up a meet with the Germiston unit that handles these scams.
By 23 July, Kunene sat down with Warrant Officer Enoch Rasikhoka and Captain Lebitso himself. Lebitso was shocked his face was being used for crime. Rasikhoka took a statement, noting how common these cons are, often run from behind bars, and how few victims report them.
Kunene vowed to help trap the crook. “I know how criminals think,” he said. They planned a sting. The extortionist kept calling, and Kunene agreed to pay. On 25 July, he went back to Germiston to nail down the plan.
The meet was set for 28 July at Makro in Woodmead. The fake cop said send someone to hand over the cash to avoid being seen together. Kunene’s team went ahead, even when Hawks got delayed. His private security pounced on the collector, who turned out to be Thato Masitenyane, a police reservist from Jabulani station in Soweto.
They hauled him to Sandton police station, where his ID checked out. Masitenyane claimed a prison guy named Lucky sent him, without spilling what he was picking up. Hawks arrived later, grilled him, and let him go after he promised to finger the main crook at Johannesburg Prison, aka Sun City.
Kunene praised Lefophane and Rasikhoka for their sharp work. Probes are still on, with hopes to snag the ring leader.
Clearing the Air on Murder Suspect Ties
Kunene’s Hawks visit sparked fresh buzz, coming hot on the heels of his July run-in at Katiso “KT” Molefe’s Sandton home. Cops raided the place to nab Molefe, linked to the 2022 killing of DJ Sumbody (Oupa Sefoka) and his guards, plus engineer Armand Swart’s murder.
Kunene said he was there with a young reporter from his site, Africa News Global, chasing a scoop on Molefe’s beef with KZN police boss Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. The journalist couldn’t run the story due to the chaos.
The Patriotic Alliance (PA) put Kunene on leave for 30 days while law firm Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr probed. They cleared him of any dodgy links, finding his story held up. PA leader Gayton McKenzie backed him, saying Kunene “can’t hurt a fly” and is too open for his own good.
Kunene quit his Johannesburg transport MMC post amid the storm but got reinstated in the PA. Critics like EFF’s Julius Malema slammed him, calling his explanation a “pure lie” and branding the PA as “bandits.” DA’s Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku demanded he step down or get fired.
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