Crime Intel. Head, Maj-Gen. Feroz Khan, has been implicated at the Madlanga Commission.
Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers
Hawks officer, Witness I has accused implicated Crime Intelligence boss Feroz Khan of taking over a major cocaine bust that resulted in the seizure of more than 700 kilograms of cocaine worth an estimated R300 million.
The allegations emerged during testimony on the controversial July 2021 operation in Aeroton in Gauteng.
This was one of the biggest drug seizures in recent South African history.
Testifying before the Madlanga Commission on Tuesday, Witness I, who led the South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau at the time, said that Khan inserted himself into the operation despite not being part of the investigating team.
According to the witness, Khan arrived at the scene and immediately asserted authority over officers who were responsible for handling the bust.
"Khan pulled rank on me," the witness testified, describing what he viewed as an unjustified interference in a Hawks-led operation.
"A report by police watchdog IPID found it was improper for Khan to be at a drug bust scene as he’s an intelligence officer."
The allegations strike at the heart of growing concerns over the conduct of senior law-enforcement officials and the handling of high-profile investigations.
A previous IPID report found it was improper for Khan, an intelligence officer, to be present at an active drug bust scene.
The commission also heard earlier on Monday from Hawks Lt-Col. Joseph Sebola, who testified that Khan failed to secure and manage the scene properly, disrupting the collection of critical evidence.
The controversy deepened when investigators acknowledged serious shortcomings in the original IPID investigation.
Evidence before the commission suggests the flawed report triggered a chain reaction that ultimately shielded Khan from internal accountability.
Khan is already facing separate legal troubles. He was arrested alongside Gauteng Hawks head Ebrahim Kadwa on charges linked to the alleged unlawful possession and dealing of illicit precious metals.
Both men deny the allegations. Khan remains on bail and is due back in court on July 14, 2026.
Meanwhile, the commission is examining data recovered from Khan's seized electronic devices after he withdrew court applications aimed at blocking investigators from accessing them.
Investigators are also reviewing WhatsApp communications involving Khan, EFF leader Julius Malema and businessman Mohammad Sayed.
Khan is expected to appear before the commission on July 1.
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