Madlanga Commission of Inquiry witness Tumelo Nku. (Photo: Facebook) Madlanga Commission of Inquiry witness Tumelo Nku was meant to continue his testimony on Thursday, 2 July 2026, about a controversial R286-million cocaine interception.
However, after proceedings got off to a late start, commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga announced: “There are security concerns about Mr Nku. We cannot hear his testimony.”
Madlanga did not provide further details on the situation.
While the commission will resume on Friday, it was not immediately clear when and how Nku would continue his testimony.
‘Security concerns’
The “security concerns” around Nku come shortly after Crime Intelligence officer Feroz Khan was wounded in a shooting in Johannesburg late on Sunday.
He was meant to testify before the Madlanga Commission on Wednesday, but was not able to.
On Tuesday, a legal representative of Khan’s said he was unconscious and sedated in hospital.
Khan’s shooting, of which the motive is not yet clear and which police are investigating, underscores witness safety issues.
In a statement in response to the incident, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said: “It is premature and irresponsible to speculate on any possible motive or to conclude that the incident is linked to his anticipated appearance before the commission […]
“The [SAPS] views any attempt to intimidate, silence or attack any individual involved in judicial processes in the most serious light, and any attempt to interfere with the administration of justice or the work of the commission will be met with the full might of the law.”
Cocaine claims
Nku, meanwhile, when testifying at the Madlanga Commission on Monday, had provided more details about a R286-million cocaine consignment that was intercepted in Aeroton, Johannesburg, on 9 July 2021.
He was among four individuals, including two police officers, previously arrested at the interception scene.
The court case against them was withdrawn, but investigations into this saga continue.
/file/attachments/orphans/735595059_992627460434675_92132116156855161_n_179172.jpg "Crime Intelligence officer Feroz Khan was wounded in a shooting in Johannesburg in June 2026. (Photo: Madlangacommission / SAPS / Facebook)")
According to Nku’s earlier testimony at the Madlanga Commission, this cocaine interception had been orchestrated on behalf of a drug trafficker known as “Eby” or “Iby,” and it was meant to put a rival trafficker of Eby’s on the back foot.
Nku had also testified that a distant relative of his, Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association leader and former deputy defence minister Kebby Maphatsoe, had put him in contact with Eby
Maphatsoe died in 2021.
‘Fear’ versus ‘laying it bare’
Nku, at the start of his testimony on Monday, which was a continuation from the week before, said he’d had “a long and hard chat” with his “spiritual leader”.
As a result, he said that regardless of “the fear” that he felt, he needed to “lay it bare” at the commission.
During his collective testimony, Nku had been hesitant to name certain individuals.
His testimony this week was also markedly different from his testimony last week.
Last week, he had portrayed himself merely as a confidential source involved in what was a basic cocaine interception, whereas this week he conceded that the interception was orchestrated on behalf of Eby.
During last week’s proceedings, Nku had also referenced Maphatsoe, saying he had connected Nku to deputy national police commissioner for crime detection Sindile Mfazi.
Mfazi died on 8 July 2021, a day before the controversial cocaine interception.
A government statement initially said Mfazi died due to Covid-19, but later accusations were made that he was intentionally poisoned. DM