Key Takeaways
- A new informant has come forward claiming involvement in the November 2021 theft of a R200 million cocaine consignment from the Hawks building in Port Shepstone.
- Colonel Gavin Jacob, commander of Durban’s Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit, testified that he passed a polygraph test but later acknowledged the limited reliability of such examinations.
- Jacob criticized Major General Hendrik Flynn’s earlier testimony, calling it a “false narrative” that unfairly implicated innocent officers.
- Warrant Officer Karl Sander’s polygraph result was later invalidated due to examiner error, reinforcing doubts about lie‑detector evidence in the case.
- Jacob alleged that certain Hawks members conspired with criminal elements to facilitate the theft, while commission officials questioned inconsistencies in his investigation notes.
- The Madlanga Commission continues to probe allegations of drug‑cartel infiltration into South Africa’s criminal justice system, politics, and private security.
Background of the Cocaine Seizure and Theft
In June 2021 police intercepted a shipment of cocaine worth more than R200 million in Isipingo, KwaZulu‑Natal. The drugs were subsequently transferred to the Hawks’ regional office in Port Shepstone for storage. The facility lacked adequate security measures, and the consignment was stolen from a walk‑in safe in November 2021. The loss has been widely described as an inside job, prompting the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry to examine possible collusion within law‑enforcement structures.
Colonel Jacob’s Role and Testimony Timeline
Colonel Gavin Jacob, attached to the Hawks and commander of Durban’s Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit, was one of the first officers to handle the seized cocaine. He testified before the commission on 3 June 2026, noting that he had been on leave when the initial interception occurred in June 2021 but still visited the Isipingo depot to oversee the drugs. Jacob emphasized that he was unaware of the exact quantity at the scene and denied personal involvement in the theft.
Details of the Isipingo Discovery and Storage Issues
Jacob recounted that after the cocaine was found in Isipingo, it was moved to the Hawks building in Port Shepstone for temporary custody. He explained that depot machinery was operating nearby, prompting him to relocate the consignment to what he believed was a safer spot. However, he conceded to commission chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga that alternative actions—such as sealing the scene immediately—might have been more appropriate. The building’s insufficient security later enabled the November 2021 robbery.
The Informant’s Revelation and Investigative Steps
In late January 2026 Jacob’s office initiated investigations into drug‑related killings and feuds in Durban and surrounding areas. This work led, in early February 2026, to a person coming forward who claimed to have participated in the planning and execution of the November 2021 cocaine theft. Jacob stated that the informant was directed to a senior police official outside the Hawks for a neutral assessment, with the head‑office investigation team based in Gauteng tasked to follow up. While Jacob affirmed the credibility of the new information, he refrained from divulging specifics during his testimony.
Reaction to Major General Flynn’s Testimony
Major General Hendrik Flynn, head of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation component, had previously testified that the sequence of events—from the initial discovery to the theft—appeared deliberate rather than coincidental. Jacob described Flynn’s account as a “false narrative” that unfairly painted officers as guilty. He recalled meeting Flynn in April 2026 and sharing the informant’s leads; Flynn, however, delegated the follow‑up to a team rather than meeting the whistle‑blower himself. Jacob said he was “left in total shock” upon viewing Flynn’s commission testimony, arguing that Flynn should have reassessed his stance after receiving the new information from the very officers he implicated.
Polygraph Controversies and Warrant Officer Sander’s Case
The commission also examined the reliability of polygraph examinations. Warrant Officer Karl Sander testified that he had been told he failed a polygraph test after the 2021 theft, with deception indicated. Later revelations showed the examiner had made serious errors, been investigated, and the test against Sander was deemed invalid, effectively exonerating him. Jacob disclosed that he, too, had undergone a polygraph regarding the stolen cocaine and passed, leaving him feeling vindicated. Nonetheless, he acknowledged that, in light of Sander’s experience, the weight of polygraph results is limited.
Allegations of Hawks Conspiracy with Criminal Elements
During his testimony, Jacob asserted that he believes certain Hawks members conspired with criminal groups to execute the theft of the R200 million cocaine. He reiterated concerns that Flynn’s evidence had caused irreparable damage to innocent officers by promoting a misleading storyline. Jacob argued that the commission’s inquiry should focus on uncovering any internal collusion rather than solely attributing blame to the officers who originally seized the drugs.
Challenges to Jacob’s Account from the Commission
Evidence leader Advocate Mahlape Sello SC pointed out inconsistencies in Jacob’s investigation diary: no statement had been recorded from an individual initially noted as a Customs official present at the Isipingo depot. Jacob clarified that the person was actually a depot employee tasked with liaising with Customs, not a Customs officer, and that he had obtained sufficient statements elsewhere, rendering the extra note unnecessary. Sello questioned whether the original labeling was intended to lend an “appearance of officialdom” to the operation, a claim Jacob denied. These exchanges highlighted potential gaps in the documentary record of the early investigation.
Closing Remarks and Ongoing Inquiry
The Madlanga Commission resumed its hearings on Thursday, continuing to examine allegations of drug‑cartel infiltration into South Africa’s justice system, politics, and private security sectors. Jacob’s testimony has added a fresh layer of complexity, juxtaposing claims of internal conspiracy with critiques of procedural missteps and questionable evidentiary practices. As the inquiry proceeds, the commission will seek to reconcile conflicting accounts, assess the credibility of polygraph evidence, and determine whether the R200 million cocaine theft was indeed an inside job facilitated by Hawks personnel or the result of broader criminal networks exploiting weaknesses within law‑enforcement structures.