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
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