By Johnathan Paoli
KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Major-General Lesetja Senona faced sustained scrutiny at the Madlanga Commission over his role in the storage and subsequent theft of 541 kilograms of cocaine worth about R200 million, conceding that critical security lapses occurred under his watch.
His testimony focused on how the drugs were housed at the Hawks’ Port Shepstone offices despite repeated break-ins at the site and minimal safeguards.
“I acknowledge that this happened under my watch, and the pain comes back when I ask myself, ‘Why me?’” Senona told the commission.
The cocaine was seized by police in 2021 and initially could not be stored at the Isipingo police station because, Senona said, he was informed that there was no available storage space.
He was then advised that there was space at a storage facility at the Hawks’ Port Shepstone offices.
Senona admitted that he did not personally verify the suitability or security of the facility.
“I didn’t go and establish. I expect police investigators to do their jobs,” he said.
Under questioning, Senona confirmed that SAPS standing procedures require all illicit drugs to be submitted to the forensic science laboratories within seven days of seizure, sealed in separate forensic bags and stored in a secure facility with a single key.
Despite this, the cocaine was kept in a safe at the Port Shepstone Hawks offices and was later stolen, with Senona acknowledging that no police officer was deployed to guard the safe where the drugs were stored.
He told the commission that, following the theft, he used his own budget to transport seized drugs to forensic laboratories in Pretoria, and that KZN police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi assisted with transporting other drugs to Cape Town.
“After the massive theft, I made sure that drugs were moved to where they should have been,” he said.
Evidence leader and senior counsel Adila Hassim, took Senona through a January 2020 counter-intelligence document warning that the Port Shepstone office had no CCTV cameras, no early warning alarm systems and no beam sensors.
Senona said he never received the document, which was addressed to the Hawks KZN boss he later succeeded.
Asked whether the recommendations were implemented, he said an alarm was eventually installed, but security officers were only deployed at the site this year.
Hassim revealed that the Port Shepstone Hawks office had been broken into eight times since 2011.
Senona conceded that three of those break-ins occurred during his tenure, including one a month before the cocaine theft.
A police report later concluded that it is not clear what motivated the provincial management to consider Port Shepstone as a safe place to store drugs of such high value.
Senona maintained that he was unaware of the history of break-ins.
“If I had known about this, it would have influenced my decision,” he said.
He added that earlier incidents involved homeless people and that at least two attempts were unsuccessful. T
He admitted that he never checked the office’s broader security features and relied on his inspection of the safe itself.
“I just looked at the facility and figured no one would be able to enter,: he said.
Senona told the commission the safe was later breached using a powerful grinder over a weekend and that the thieves were “professionals”.
Senona acknowledged that he had given the safe key to officers involved in the drug bust, describing this as a safety measure, although the rationale remained unclear.
He claimed he instructed officers to check on the Hawks offices over the weekend, but Hassim cited affidavits from officers who contradicted this.
“I don’t know why this officer said this,” Senona responded, while pointing to another affidavit that supported his version.
Commissioners further expressed concern that Senona had not aggressively pursued answers about whether the drugs were recovered or whether anyone had been charged.
Senona said he wanted updates but believed another investigative team’s involvement prevented him from probing further.
He offered to undergo a polygraph test if asked by his supervisor and insisted he was “definitely not” implicated in the theft.
Proceedings were adjourned and will continue on Friday morning.
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