Madlanga Commission | Nku’s public testimony postponed to next week

Alleged police informant and businessman, Tumelo Nku’s, testimony before the Madlanga Commission has been postponed to Monday, 29 June, after a day of private consultations between Nku, his legal team and the commission’s evidence leaders.

Nku is alleged to be the informant who alerted authorities to the July 2021 drug trafficking operation in Aeroton, south of Johannesburg, where at least 715 kilograms of cocaine were discovered hidden inside a shipping container at the Scania South Africa warehouse.

Evidence before the commission has shown that suspended Gauteng Traffic Police Chief, Samuel Mashaba, enlisted the assistance of Zonkizizwe CIMAC commander, Marumo Magane and SAPS K9 officer Steve Phakula, for the operation. Mashaba admitted he did not inform senior SAPS officials beforehand, raising questions about the legality and authorisation of the operation.

Further testimony suggests that Mashaba, Magane, Phakula and Nku were themselves arrested during the operation on the instructions of suspended former Crime Intelligence deputy boss Major General, Feroz Khan. They were charged with drug dealing and defeating the ends of justice.

The arrests followed allegations that the cocaine, estimated to be worth about R300 million, had been loaded onto Magane’s unmarked official bakkie at the scene. Magane has denied any wrongdoing, telling the commission the drugs were being transported to the nearest police station after being seized. He said he had photographed the exhibits to report the successful seizure to his superior.

After spending nearly two weeks in custody, the group lodged a complaint with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) against senior Hawks officials, accusing them of defeating the ends of justice. The matter was later dismissed after investigators found insufficient evidence to support criminal charges.

Nku has also requested that parts of his evidence be heard in private, arguing that some information is too sensitive for public disclosure. He says this includes the identity of the source who alerted him to the drug shipment, as well as details of intelligence he claims to have shared with an international law enforcement agency, for which he says he was paid.

Commission evidence leader, Advocate Tebogo Mosikili, confirmed that consultations with Nku are continuing. Commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga ruled that Nku’s public testimony will resume on Monday.

Nku’s role in the operation has come under intense scrutiny, particularly because he was not a formally registered police informant. He has defended his presence, telling the commission he remained about 500 metres from the scene and did not participate in the operation.

Nku said he stayed nearby only to observe whether the operation had been successful because he did not trust that anyone would report the outcome back to him.

Written by: Odirile Rabalao