Unregistered, unpaid police informant defends presence and R60k cash at R300m Aeroton drug bust

Businessman Tumelo Nku has defended his presence at the scene of a 2021 Aeroton drug bust, where 715kg of cocaine worth R300m was seized at a Scania depot in Johannesburg.

The cargo had travelled from Durban Harbour to the Aeroton depot, where senior law enforcement officials allegedly interfered with the operation.

Nku was found at the scene, parked a short distance away, with about R60,000 in cash inside his vehicle. He is accused of being a key facilitator for the drug-concealing containers, countering his own claims of being an informant.

Testifying before the Madlanga commission of inquiry on Thursday, Nku said he was at the scene as an unpaid police source.

“My presence at the scene was limited to that of a source of information/informant,” Nku testified. “I remained in my vehicle at all material times, except when instructed by police officials to step out (namely Gen Feroz Khan). I did not participate in any operational decisions, searches, or handling of any items.”

The paper trail of intel

Nku stated that he first received information about the potential drug shipment in April 2021 from a source he declined to name for personal safety reasons. He initially shared unconfirmed details with the late former deputy national police commissioner for crime detection, Lt-Gen Sindile Mfazi.

“The information I shared was that he should be on the lookout, as there might be something being cooked up, and as I obtained more information, I would share it with him,” Nku said.

By June, Nku received further details confirming the incoming shipment, including verification that the containers held contraband and drugs, and that specific containers were being prioritised for transportation. He relayed this updated intelligence to Mfazi via a secure messaging app.

According to Nku, this was not his first time he had shared information regarding criminal activity with law enforcement, noting he had previously worked with suspended Gauteng traffic police chief inspector Samuel Mashaba. However, it was his first time passing information to Mfazi. Nku explained that he bypassed Mashaba at the time due to the chief inspector’s perceived unreliability.

Following Mfazi’s sudden passing, Nku eventually reached out to Mashaba on July 8 2021, once he was fully satisfied with the intelligence.

“In relation to Chief Mashaba, it was a last-minute request, as the high-ranking official [Mfazi] who was supposed to have assembled a team to run the operation was not available at that point,” Nku explained.

Nku had travelled to Durban on July 7 to meet his source and finalise the details of the shipment.

On July 8, Nku travelled back to Johannesburg after updating Mashaba. On the morning of July 9, the day of the bust, Nku met with Mashaba for a briefing. He claimed Mashaba directed him to the police officer in charge of the bust location and instructed him to follow them to the scene.

The operation was allegedly botched, resulting in the on-scene arrests of Nku, Mashaba and two warrant officers — Marumo Magane and Steve Phakula — for attempting to steal the R300m consignment. The charges were subsequently withdrawn.

“My presence was merely to point out the location, and in my understanding, my involvement should have ended there,” Nku testified.

“However, a decision was taken, and I was instructed to follow. I did inquire why, given that I had already provided them with the information, but I was just told to follow them. Had I seen more officers there, I would have vacated. It was not just an instruction; following up was also due to curiosity to see if my information checked out.”

Nku added that he wanted to leave the scene but was ordered to stay so officials could question him. However, Mashaba contradicted this in his own testimony, claiming that Nku had actively asked to join them. Mashaba stated he agreed, but explicitly instructed Nku to remain in his car and not participate.

Unregistered and unpaid informant

During the hearing, Nku admitted that he was never registered as an official South African Police Service (SAPS) informant, never given an informant number, and never assigned a handler. Instead, he operated as an informal, unpaid source.

While he received no financial compensation, Nku said he was heavily invested in the July 9 operation because he was promised a promotion to a registered, paid informant if his tip-off proved successful.

When commissioners questioned him about the R60,000 in cash found in his car, Nku explained that he had the cash to avoid being traced through his bank cards, given his risky job. He claimed the money was meant for travel expenses, accommodation, toll gates and gathering intelligence.

“The money was petty cash from my business that I used for my travel. I didn’t know how long I would need to stay in Durban,” Nku said.

For me, it is not simply about being an informant, but putting the information I acquire to good use. The interest is not limited to immediate financial gain, but a plethora of long-term opportunities. What was most important to me was building a rapport, because the more reliable information you provide, the more rapport you build—even if it takes two years.

—  Businessman Tumelo Nku

“I didn’t consciously take it just to put it in my car. It’s not always in the vehicle, but given the payments I needed to make at the time, I took advantage of the company money at my disposal.”

Commission expresses scepticism

Commissioners expressed deep scepticism, noting that Nku’s explanation made little sense. They questioned why he would risk his personal safety and travel with such large sums of cash for an unpaid role.

When asked what he stood to gain by spending his own money to gather intelligence without compensation, Nku maintained that his expenses would have been reimbursed once he was officially registered.

“The type of information I am able to access is high stakes,” Nku said. “For me, it is not simply about being an informant, but putting the information I acquire to good use. The interest is not limited to immediate financial gain, but a plethora of long-term opportunities. What was most important to me was building a rapport, because the more reliable information you provide, the more rapport you build— even if it takes two years.”

However, the commission challenged Nku’s timeline and his claim that he used the cash to avoid a paper trail. Financial records presented during the hearing revealed that Nku’s bank cards were actively used on the dates in question. According to his bank statements, multiple toll gate fees had been paid using his card starting from July 7 2021.