Proceedings at the Madlanga Commission resumed on Wednesday after a fire alarm at Brigitte Mabandla College forced a temporary evacuation, with no injuries reported.
Image: OUpa Mokoena/Independent Newspapers
Proceedings at the Madlanga Commission resumed on Wednesday morning after a brief disruption caused by a fire alarm that went off at Brigitte Mabandla College, the commission’s venue.
The alarm prompted the precautionary evacuation of attendees, including members of the media. No injuries were reported.
Emergency services from the City of Tshwane responded to the scene, and an investigation has been launched to determine the cause.
Meanwhile, Major General Hendrik Flynn, component head for serious organised crime at the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, is continuing with his testimony.
Flynn is testifying on allegations of criminality and corruption linked to drug busts.
On Tuesday, he said South Africa serves both as a destination for local drug distribution and as a transit hub for international trafficking.
His testimony on Wednesday focuses on the theft of 541kg of cocaine from Hawks premises in KwaZulu-Natal.
He is providing details on the June 2021 incident at Hawks offices in Port Shepstone.
The commission previously heard that the case has made significant progress nearly five years after the theft.
Flynn said the investigation was transferred to his component shortly after the incident, although he only assumed his current role on September 1, 2024, succeeding Major General Khanna.
He confirmed that substantial progress has been made since his appointment but said he could not determine whether this was coincidental.
Flynn said local detectives in Port Shepstone initially handled the case after the burglary was discovered.
Soon after, then Hawks head Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya established a dedicated team, with oversight assigned to Major General Khanna until his retirement in August 2024.
The case dates back to June 2021, when the Hawks received intelligence about a suspicious shipment at the Isipingo depot, south of Durban.
Cocaine valued at about R200m was discovered in a shipping container.
The drugs were seized and stored at a Hawks facility in Port Shepstone, but all 541kg was stolen five months later.
Preliminary investigations pointed to poor security at the site, raising suspicions that the theft may have been an inside job.
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