Brigadier Campbell Nyuswa testified that a 2021 theft of cocaine from a Hawks storage facility may have been staged [1].
The testimony suggests potential internal compromise within South Africa's elite police unit. If the heist was staged, it indicates a breach of security and trust at the highest levels of the Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit.
Nyuswa, the suspended head of the unit, provided his testimony to the Madlanga Commission regarding the incident at the Port Shepstone storage facility in KwaZulu-Natal [1], [2]. The theft involved 541 kilograms of cocaine [1]. The estimated value of the missing narcotics was approximately R200 million [1].
During the proceedings, Nyuswa questioned the logistics of the break-in. He said he had been assured the strong-room could not be opened without a key [2]. This assurance led him to be skeptical of the official account that thieves managed to grind through the safe door to gain entry [2].
Nyuswa also mentioned Major-General Lesetja Senona during his testimony [1], [2]. The discussion centered on the knowledge of security issues existing before the heist occurred [2].
The incident took place in 2021 [1]. The Hawks are responsible for tackling high-level organized crime, making the loss of such a significant quantity of evidence a critical failure in the chain of custody [1], [2].
“The theft involved 541 kilograms of cocaine.”
This testimony shifts the focus of the investigation from external criminal gangs to potential internal collusion. By questioning the physical possibility of the break-in, Nyuswa is suggesting that the security breach was an 'inside job,' which would imply that high-ranking officials may have facilitated the disappearance of evidence to profit from the black market.
