By Johnathan Paoli
Chief Provincial Inspector of Gauteng Traffic Police (GTP), Samuel Mashaba, has told the Madlanga Commission that the Aeroton drug bust was proceeding successfully until the arrival of senior police officers led by Major-General Feroz Khan, whom he accused of disrupting the operation and later orchestrating the arrest of those involved.
Appearing before the commission on Tuesday, Mashaba testified about the July 2021 operation in which authorities uncovered a 715kg cocaine consignment valued at an estimated R300 million.
He said the operation was launched after he received information from an alleged informer, Tumelo Nku, about a truck travelling from Durban to Johannesburg suspected of carrying drugs.
“On Thursday 8 July 2021 I received a tip-off from Mr Tumelo Nku … I then asked Mr Nku to first confirm the information before I could act on it,” Mashaba told the commission.
After verification the following morning, Mashaba said he mobilised law enforcement officials and moved to Yellow Jersey Logistics, where the truck was reportedly parked.
When company representatives raised concerns about breaking container seals at their depot, Mashaba said he proposed escorting the truck to its destination in Aeroton.
Upon arrival at Scania’s premises in Aeroton, south of Johannesburg, Mashaba said the container was opened in the presence of company officials and workers, where suspected drugs were discovered.
“At that point, we realised that the tip-off was indeed correct,” he said, adding that 23 bags of suspected drugs were secured.
He testified that the situation changed after additional police officers arrived on scene.
“There was a lot of commotion… we were viewed with suspicion,” Mashaba said.
He told the commission that he was later informed Major-General Khan was en route to the operation.
Mashaba alleged Khan’s arrival effectively derailed the bust.
“He was operating like a man with all the powers,” he said, claiming Khan blocked a K-9 search and contacted his employer about his employment status.
The operation ended with Mashaba and three others arrested by the Hawks.
They were accused of conducting an unauthorised drug bust, falsely identifying themselves as Hawks members and attempting to steal cocaine from the container.
They were charged with defeating the ends of justice after allegedly offloading cocaine onto a Nissan bakkie.
Mashaba said bail proceedings raised unanswered questions about the evidence, including how the drugs were weighed.
The magistrate later granted bail, noting the arrests appeared rushed and premature.
Mashaba said he was suspended shortly after his arrest and remains uncertain about the status of internal disciplinary proceedings.
“Our criminal case was provisionally withdrawn on 12 October 2022 and finally withdrawn by Adv. de Kock from the NDPP in January 2024,” he said.
He confirmed he has since returned to work and was later transferred to a Special Law Enforcement Unit in December 2025.
Proceedings were adjourned, with Mashaba set to return for cross-examination on Thursday.
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