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Businessman Tumelo Nku has told the Madlanga commission of inquiry how he became aware of the 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 in his vehicle. While state investigators accuse him of being a key facilitator for the drug-concealing containers, Nku maintains he was acting strictly as an informant.
Appearing before the commission on Monday after his initial testimony last Thursday, Nku insisted he was at the scene simply as an unpaid police source.
He testified that he first learnt about the drug-laden container in April 2021 through an introduction by the late former deputy minister of defence and military veterans, Kebby Maphatsoe. Maphatsoe allegedly introduced him to a man known only as “Iby” or “Eby”.
While introduced as a businessman, Iby was also deeply involved in the drug trade. According to Nku, Iby wanted to disrupt a major drug shipment being moved by a competitor. Because of Nku’s extensive network and expertise in Transnet and the logistics sector — which Maphatsoe was aware of — Nku was approached to help track the shipment.
The ultimate objective was to intercept the container, ensuring the rival’s drugs never reached the intended recipient, thereby ruining the competitor’s reliability in the eyes of their clients.
“As it was explained to me, the expected objective was to use information related to the shipment so that law enforcement could intercept the consignment,” Nku told the commission. “The main objective was for the consignment not to reach its intended recipient.”
He initially shared these details with the late former deputy national police commissioner for crime detection, Lt-Gen Sindile Mfazi. However, after Mfazi’s sudden death, Nku waited until he had fully confirmed the intelligence before contacting suspended Gauteng traffic police chief Samuel Mashaba to arrange the arrests and seizures.
Nku noted that he had a history with Mashaba, having previously supplied him with information regarding illicit cigarettes. He claimed that Mashaba would occasionally contact him when he needed money, asking for tips on illegal activities in which Mashaba could allegedly profit personally, either by keeping a portion of what was recovered or by exerting pressure on the individuals involved.
To secure the live tracking of the drug shipment, Nku said he travelled to Durban on July 7 2021 to meet Zamo Khuzwayo, an acquaintance at Transnet. Though Khuzwayo was initially blocked from accessing the data, Nku eventually obtained screenshots of the truck’s details and live co-ordinates on July 8.
Nku returned to Johannesburg that same day and shared the co-ordinates with Mashaba, expecting him to co-ordinate a standard tactical operation.
However, when Nku met Mashaba on July 9, the day of the bust, he was surprised to find Mashaba unaccompanied by law enforcement. Though Nku raised concerns, Mashaba assured him that backup was en route. Shortly afterwards, another officer, Marumo Magane, arrived in a black van, and the trio drove to the depot.
Nku parked a few metres away to watch the operation unfold. As the bust occurred, he saw black duffle bags falling from the container. The cargo perfectly matched the photos he had received, containing the expected 805 blocks of cocaine.
“I was then satisfied the job was well executed,” Nku said. However, the situation quickly deteriorated. A marked police van arrived, and Nku saw Mashaba and Magane engaging the two officers. He expected them to escort the drugs to the Alberton police station, but more units, including the flying squad, flooded the scene, and the atmosphere grew tense.
“As more police arrived, I noticed there was tension between SAPS members, who asked me what my involvement was. I told them I was the source,” Nku said.
The operation was ultimately botched. Nku, Mashaba, and two warrant officers — Magane and Steve Phakula — were arrested on the scene for allegedly attempting to steal the R300m consignment.
Though charges were later withdrawn, Nku admitted he strongly believed Mashaba intended to skim a portion of the drugs while simultaneously claiming public credit for the bust.
“This view is informed by previous incidents and experiences I have observed regarding Mashaba,” Nku said, adding that it didn’t matter to him at the time, as long as his primary goal of disrupting the rival cartel was achieved. He clarified that he did not pay Mashaba for his assistance.
Nku also said the R60,000 cash found in his car was originally meant to reimburse Khuzwayo for his help in Durban. Because Khuzwayo faced system blockages and couldn’t deliver the information immediately, the money was never handed over.
This contradicts his testimony last week, in which he said the money was petty cash he intended to use during his trip to Durban to avoid leaving a footprint.
The commission then shifted its focus to WhatsApp communications between Iby and an individual identified as “John Wick”. Nku claimed he was never a participant in these chats; rather, “John Wick” had sent him screenshots so Nku could keep tabs on the operation.
The messages revealed intricate links. They highlighted another associate of Iby’s named “VJ”, who knew Mashaba. One chat discussed VJ collecting car keys that provided access to specific office keys. Nku admitted he later spoke to Mashaba about those keys, exposing a direct connection between Mashaba and VJ, a known associate of a drug dealer.
Furthermore, Nku denied accusations that he operated under the alias “Philip Plein”, a name frequently appearing in Iby’s text logs. While Nku admitted to having direct WhatsApp calls with Iby, he denied sending texts. However, previous evidence revealed that Nku’s phone number appears on the Truecaller identification app under the name “Philip Plein”. Nku acknowledged the number was his but fiercely denied using the alias.
The commission is scheduled to conclude Nku’s evidence on Wednesday and Thursday, when more WhatsApp chats will be interrogated further.
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