A Hawks officer has firmly denied any role in one of the most significant drug theft cases to hit South Africa’s law enforcement agencies.
Colonel Gavin Jacob, who is the commander of the Hawks’ Durban serious organised crime investigation unit in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), appeared before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in Pretoria on Wednesday, 3 June 2026, rejecting allegations that he was involved in the disappearance of 541kg of cocaine.
The cocaine, valued at over R200 million, was stolen in November 2021 from a Hawks storage site in Port Shepstone that reportedly had no alarm system or surveillance cameras.
Despite the scale of the theft, no arrests have been made in the five years since the incident.
Madlanga commission hears evidence over Port Shepstone cocaine theft
Jacob’s testimony focused on the origins of the case in late June 2021, when the drugs were first seized at a container depot in Isipingo, south of Durban.
At the time, Jacob was on leave when he received a call from Lieutenant Colonel Justice Jabulani Duma.
He then contacted the investigating officer, Warrant Officer Livingstone Mpangase.
“When I spoke to Mpangase, I told him I would be attending to this operation,” Jacob told the commission.
Upon arriving at the depot, officers discovered 27 black bags of the drugs concealed among a legitimate cargo of animal feed.
Jacob testified that after the drugs were loaded onto a marked border police vehicle, he chose to proceed to Isipingo police station rather than Umlazi due to safety concerns.
“It’s a high risk area,” he said.
Logistical issues arise
The seizure quickly turned into a logistical challenge, as officers struggled to secure and store the large quantity of drugs safely at the station.
“I then realised that it was futile to call the LCRC [Local Criminal Record Centre] when we did not have the required exhibit bags.
“My members had a few of the bags of the required specifications, but not enough for this magnitude.”
He also acknowledged administrative failures, conceding that documentation related to the storage of the drugs was “poorly completed” due to missing details.
The station itself was unable to accommodate the drugs, with Jacob saying: “What I can say with certainly is that Isipingo Saps would not store these exhibits.”
Efforts to find alternative storage proved unsuccessful.
According to Jacob, the police’s forensic science laboratory in Amanzimtoti declined to take custody due to space constraints.
Nearby stations in Durban central and Brighton Beach also refused, citing backlogs from previous drug seizures.
Decision to move the drugs
With limited options, Jacob told the commission that he called KZN Hawks officer Brigadier Campbell Nyuswa.
Nyuswa consulted provincial head Lesetja Senona, who recommended relocating the drugs to the Hawks office in Port Shepstone.
“I did not know that Port Shepstone serious organised crime investigation unit had kept exhibits.”
Jacob did not accompany the drugs during the transfer, saying that he handed over the scene to Mpangase before returning home “to resume my vacation leave”.
The following day on 23 June, he learned that the process of sealing the drugs into exhibit bags had only just begun.
“I am not sure why it was not done the same day.”
There was also no clear documentation on how much cocaine was ultimately stored at the Port Shepstone facility.
Security breach and theft
Jacob returned to duty on 29 June and took over the investigation from Mpangase, who was leaving Saps.
The colonel outlined how samples of the cocaine were taken for laboratory analysis, emphasising that the process required no specialised expertise.
He confirmed that he personally delivered a small amount of samples to the forensic laboratory on 5 July.
While Jacob maintained contact with the laboratory, he was informed of a security breach at the Port Shepstone site by Nyuswa months later.
An attempted break-in was reported in October 2021, followed by confirmation of the theft on 8 November.
Jacob told the commission he had no prior knowledge of security vulnerabilities at the storage facility.
“I must add that I bore no knowledge neither am I involved in the theft of drugs.”
He indicated that he underwent a polygraph test as part of the investigation into the burglary and theft, with the results concluding that he passed.
Whistleblower claim raises new questions
Jacob further revealed that a potential breakthrough emerged earlier this year during a separate investigation into drug-related killings.
He testified that in late January 2026, investigators in his unit were led to a whistle-blower/informer who claimed involvement in both the planning and execution of the Port Shepstone drug theft.
He then escalated the information to KZN Hawks head of organised crime Major-General Hendrik Flynn on 22 April 2026.
Flynn previously testified before the commission last month.
Jacob acknowledged the possibility that corrupt officials may have deliberately stored the drugs at Port Shepstone with the intention of stealing them later.
However, he was critical of Flynn’s conclusions, saying his version of events created a “false narrative”.
“I was left in total shock upon viewing General Flynn’s evidence before this commission.
“It is understandable that all of us that were involved in the seizure would have initially been viewed as suspects.”
He added that the theft has “embarrassed” the Hawks and Saps as a whole, stressing that the matter should not go unpunished.
“I do believe that DPCI members have conspired with criminal elements to carry out this crime.”