The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has postponed businessman Tumelo Nku’s testimony indefinitely, citing security concerns for his life.
Image: Timothy Bernard / ANA Studios
In an unprecedented move, businessman Tumelo Nku’s testimony before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has been postponed indefinitely due to security concerns for his life.
The commission announced this on Thursday after spending at least two hours deliberating on urgent issues behind closed doors.
Nku claimed he acted as a police informant in July 2021 after tipping off Gauteng traffic inspector Samuel Mashaba about a Yellow Jersey Logistics truck allegedly transporting cocaine bricks from Durban Harbour to Johannesburg.
The truck, contracted to deliver vehicle body parts to Scania South Africa in Aeroton, contained more than 700kg of cocaine bricks worth an estimated R300 million.
On Monday, Nku testified about his role in the Aeroton drug bust, disclosing that he set up the bust to help a drug trafficker known as ‘Eby’ intercept a consignment before it reached Eby’s competitor.
During his testimony, he said the late former deputy Defence Minister, Kebby Maphatsoe, his distant relative, introduced him to ‘Eby’ in 2021. He told the commission he was led to believe Eby had interests in coal mining.
Nku said Maphatsoe knew he had an extensive network in shipping and at Transnet.
Warrant Officer Marumo Magane, commander of the Crime Information Management and Analysis Centre at SAPS Zonkizwe police station, testified last month that Nku told Mashaba about the alleged drug smuggling.
Mashaba then contacted Magane for assistance with the bust in Aeroton. Also present was SAPS National Intervention Unit officer, Warrant Officer Steve Phakula, who Mogane called to manage the scene.
Scania workers in Aeroton suspected them of being behind the alleged hijacking and called 10111 to report an alleged truck hijacking at their premises.
Hawks Lieutenant-Colonel Nkoana Sebola was among the police officers who attended the scene after Scania workers called 10111. He testified that when he arrived, Magane’s black Nissan bakkie was already loaded with bags of cocaine, and the scene had already been contaminated.
Sebola said he was told the bakkie had been blocked to prevent Magane from driving away.
The drugs were later taken to Booysens, then the SAPS College, and finally to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis. Part of the 750kg cocaine was later found missing while in police custody.
Thursday’s 9:30am proceedings were delayed for about two hours after Commission Chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga and co-commissioners said they had to attend an urgent meeting, delaying Nku’s testimony.
Following the meeting Madlanga announced that Nku’s testimony has been postponed indefinitely owing to security concerns.
“There are security concerns about Mr Nku. We cannot hear his testimony. The hearing of his testimony is being postponed indefinitely. An announcement will be made in due course as to when the testimony will be heard and under what circumstances,” he said.
Nku was expected to conclude his testimony on Thursday.
The commission’s proceedings will resume on Friday at 9:30 am to hear evidence against senior Crime Intelligence officer Major-General Feroz Khan in his absence.
Khan was scheduled to testify on Wednesday, but his legal team said he was in an extremely critical condition after a shooting in Houghton on Sunday.
On Tuesday, uMkhonto weSizwe Party MP Vusi Shongwe testified that he was promised R10m during a virtual Durban meeting with Khan after Shongwe questioned Khan’s links to cigarette smuggling at a SAPS Ad Hoc Committee.
The money was allegedly to be paid in Sandton when Shongwe met in person with Khan.
Shongwe claimed he never received the money, including a promised R2 million-a-month Checkers security contract and a BMW with tinted windows.
Meanwhile, the commission confirmed that it has subpoenaed alleged crime mastermind Vusi “Cat” Matlala, who is central to its probe into political and criminal infiltration of the justice system, to testify next Tuesday.
Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels said the next few weeks would be intense, with several witnesses scheduled to testify before the commission ahead of the August 31 deadline to submit the final report to President Cyril Ramaphosa.