Johnathan Paoli
A senior KZN Hawks commander told the Madlanga Commission on Wednesday that he knew the Port Shepstone office had security problems, but believed 541kg of seized cocaine was safe there because Major-General Lesetja Senona held the strong-room keys.
KwaZulu-Natal Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation provincial commander Brigadier Campbell Msizi Nyuswa was testifying about the circumstances surrounding the theft of the cocaine, valued at about R200 million, from the Hawks offices in Port Shepstone in November 2021.
Nyuswa denied any involvement in the disappearance of the consignment, maintaining that he had “nothing to do” with the theft.
At the start of his evidence, Nyuswa addressed allegations that he had been responsible for storing the exhibits at the Port Shepstone offices despite security shortcomings at the facility.
“It is alleged that I failed to comply with or contravened legislation or legal obligation by storing exhibits [at] the Port Shepstone DPCI offices — which did not have adequate security — resulting in the theft of exhibits, and that I acted in a manner which brought the SAPS into disrepute or that there is an element of dishonesty involved in the storing of the exhibits,” he said.
Nyuswa was served with a precautionary suspension on 2 June 2026 in connection with the disappearance of the cocaine, which had been seized during a major drug bust at a container depot in Isipingo, south of Durban, on 22 June 2021.
The commission previously heard evidence from Lieutenant Colonel Gavin Jacob that Nyuswa informed investigators that the drugs would be stored at the Port Shepstone Hawks offices on the instruction of Senona, who was then the KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head.
Nyuswa rejected suggestions that he was particularly close to Senona, describing as inaccurate the perception that he was “Senona’s guy”.
“There is an incorrect perception that I am General Senona’s ‘guy’. I suspect it is because we were appointed at the same time to the province. I have no dealings with General Senona prior to August 2020. When he was appointed the Provincial Head, our relationship was strictly that of senior and junior colleagues,” he said.
Nyuswa told the commission that Senona was not a leader who routinely consulted colleagues before making decisions.
“He would make the decision and expect everyone to fall in line even if that decision had an impact on the workings of your section as a commander,” he said.
Detailing events surrounding the seizure, Nyuswa said he was informed on 22 June 2021 that investigators had discovered cocaine in a shipping container at a depot in Isipingo.
Later that day, Jacob informed him that police stations in the area were unwilling or unable to store the exhibits.
Nyuswa said he contacted officials at the Forensic Science Laboratory in Amanzimtoti but was told there was no available storage space.
He said he then suggested the Port Shepstone Hawks offices because the premises contained strong-room safes that he believed were highly secure.
“What made the property attractive for the DPCI was that the landlord had informed us that those safes could not be breached, they could only be accessed with the keys,” he said.
Nyuswa acknowledged that he was aware of security problems at the building, including problems with the alarm system, but said his focus was on the strong room itself.
According to Nyuswa, Senona approved the decision to use the Port Shepstone facility and instructed him to arrange for the exhibits to be stored there.
He further testified that after the drugs were secured in the strong room, Senona took possession of both sets of keys.
Nyuswa said he believed the narcotics would remain secure because the keys were under Senona’s control.
When informed of an attempted break-in at the premises in late October 2021, he said he was concerned but remained confident that the safe itself could not be breached.
He said that that confidence was shattered when he arrived at the scene after the theft was discovered.
“I must state that when I observed the scene I was shocked that the safe had been breached but more than that was sceptical that the safe had been breached by grinding the door. I would have expected the DPCI investigators to have investigated the possibility that the scene had been staged,” he said.
Nyuswa told commissioners he was never asked to undergo a polygraph examination during the investigation, despite other members being tested.
“I would have taken it if so required and I am still prepared to take the test,” he said.
Concluding his statement, Nyuswa again denied any role in the theft.
“I reiterate that I had nothing to do with the Port Shepstone theft. I hope that my evidence will be of assistance to the commission,” he stated.
The commission continues.
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