Hawks officer says he was ‘following orders’ in cocaine bust scandal

By Johnathan Paoli

Durban Hawks Narcotics Unit Lieutenant-Colonel Kwazikwakhe Sibiya told the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Friday that he was merely carrying out instructions from senior officers during the controversial seizure of 541kg of cocaine at Durban harbour in June 2021, which later led to the theft of part of the consignment from police offices in Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal.

Appearing before the commission, Sibiya distanced himself from key decisions surrounding the handling, processing and storage of the drugs.

“My actions were limited, transparent and consistent with the duties of a subordinate officer mainly providing support and manpower. There is no factual basis to suggest I was a party to the ‘design’ or ‘coincidence’ that Maj-Gen Flynn alleges,” he said.

His testimony follows allegations by Hawks Serious Organised Crime head Major-General Hendrick Flynn, who previously suggested the handling of the cocaine may have been aimed at undermining the investigation