By Johnathan Paoli
Suspended KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Major-General Lesetja Senona has resigned with immediate effect, bringing an abrupt end to his tenure, as the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry continues investigating the disappearance of 541kg cocaine worth an estimated R200 million from Hawks offices in Port Shepstone.
Senona’s departure follows months of mounting pressure after he was suspended earlier this year over the theft of the massive cocaine haul, which had been seized during a law enforcement operation before disappearing from police custody in 2021.
His resignation also comes after the Hawks previously rejected an application for early retirement that he submitted in February 2026.
The latest development means Senona has now officially left the Hawks while remaining a central figure in the commission’s investigation into the circumstances surrounding the missing drugs and alleged failures within law enforcement.
The commission has spent weeks hearing evidence relating to the disappearance of the cocaine, one of the country’s most significant missing drug exhibit cases, amid allegations of corruption, organised crime infiltration and serious security lapses within specialised police units.
Investigators believe the theft may have been an inside job, citing multiple failures at the Hawks’ Port Shepstone offices.
Evidence before the commission has pointed to inadequate security measures, including a lack of proper guarding, malfunctioning CCTV cameras, previous break-ins at the premises and poor storage arrangements for high-value drug exhibits.
Senona appeared before the commission last week, where he denied any involvement in the disappearance of the cocaine and rejected allegations that the original drug seizure had been staged.
During his testimony, Senona maintained that he had acted in accordance with instructions from senior officers regarding both the storage of the seized narcotics and personnel decisions linked to the investigation.
He also disputed suggestions that he had exercised improper influence over the handling of the case, insisting that he neither authorised nor participated in any unlawful activities connected to the missing exhibits.
Senona further told the commission that his suspension had been carried out in a traumatic manner.
He testified that he was removed from his office at gunpoint when he was suspended, describing the experience as humiliating and saying it had affected both his health and personal safety.
His evidence formed part of broader hearings examining allegations of misconduct within the police, failures in evidence management and claims that organised criminal networks may have infiltrated law enforcement structures.
The disappearance of the cocaine has become one of the commission’s central areas of focus, with witnesses painting a troubling picture of poor oversight over valuable drug exhibits and weaknesses in internal controls designed to safeguard seized evidence.
The inquiry is also examining whether senior police officials failed to implement adequate security measures or ignored warning signs before the cocaine vanished.
Although Senona’s resignation formally ends his service with the Hawks, it does not bring the matter to a close.
The commission is expected to continue hearing evidence from additional witnesses as it probes allegations relating to missing evidence, abuse of power, security failures and possible links between members of the police and organised crime syndicates.
The commission’s findings could ultimately inform recommendations on criminal investigations, disciplinary action and reforms aimed at strengthening accountability within South Africa’s law enforcement agencies.
Senona has consistently denied wrongdoing throughout the inquiry, maintaining that he carried out his duties in accordance with established instructions and procedures.
However, his resignation marks another significant development in a scandal that has raised serious questions about the safeguarding of critical evidence and the integrity of specialised policing units tasked with combating organised crime.
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