Madlanga Commission The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry will continue to hear testimony on the police drug bust and disappearance of exhibits in police custody.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
SAPS National Intervention Unit officer Warrant Officer Steve Phakula is the next witness before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
On Wednesday, he is expected to respond to allegations that he contaminated the crime scene during the drug seizure in Aeroton, south of Johannesburg, in July 2021.
He will also testify on the police drug bust and the disappearance of exhibits while in police custody.
This follows the testimony of Warrant Officer Marumo Magane, commander of the Crime Information Management and Analysis Centre at SAPS Zonkizwe police station.
Magane was accused of loading 750kg of cocaine bricks worth an estimated R300 million onto his bakkie after the drug bust. He allegedly intended to transport them to drug traffickers.
Phakula has also been accused of assisting in loading the drugs into the bakkie and contaminating the crime scene following the seizure.
On Monday, the commission heard that cocaine worth an estimated R300 million was transported undetected from Durban Harbour to Johannesburg in a truck.
The drug syndicate concealed the drugs in trucks carrying legitimate cargo to Scania South Africa in Aeroton.
Colonel Francois Steyn, Gauteng Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) provincial coordinator of narcotics cases, testified on Monday that the crime scene was “chaotic” and already contaminated, with close to 50 people surrounding it.
On Tuesday, Magane concurred with Steyn’s account. He also admitted failing to adhere to crime scene management protocol by not securing the scene.
Phakula’s testimony is under way.
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za