The Madlanga commission on Monday resumed its inquiry into the high-profile theft of cocaine worth R200 million, with witness testimony revealing internal tensions and disputed polygraph results.
Karl Sander, a warrant officer within the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as Hawks, returned to the witness stand following a two-week pause in proceedings.
The commission is investigating the disappearance of 541 kilograms of cocaine from a Hawks storage facility in Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in November 2021.
The drugs had been seized months earlier in June 2021 at a depot in Isipingo, Durban, before being placed in police custody.
Madlanga commission resumes
Testifying at the Bridgette Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria, Sander told the commission that, despite not being present when the drugs went missing, he was treated as a suspect in the case.
At the time of the theft, he was on leave.
“I was a suspect. I was called in; I was polygraphed for it. I was never there. That’s all I know about the Port Shepstone matter. I was on leave,” he said.
The warrant officer testified that the incident “was all over social media” at the time.
“Our senior managers came into the office one day, said what they needed to say, and then we were told that we were all suspects.
“Obviously, I did not agree with that, and then we were sent for polygraphs,” Sander explained.
He added that he had no operational connection to the Port Shepstone facility where the drugs were stored.
During the hearing, it emerged that Sander’s initial polygraph test indicated “deception”.
He told the commission this was the first time he had heard of that outcome.
An unsigned feedback report, however, recorded a “no opinion” result due to what was described as “examiner error”.
Sudden transfer and corruption claims
The commission also heard how Sander was removed from his role in the Hawks’ South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau (SANEB) in KwaZulu-Natal and reassigned to provincial support services in February 2024.
“For me, it was like prison,” he said.
The transfer, approved by KZN Hawks head Lesetja Senona, was linked to allegations of corruption – claims Sander said were never formally put to him.
He told the commission he had been accused of supplying drugs to Florida nightclub syndicates but received no official documentation outlining the allegations.
“Unofficially, I found out that the inquiry was closed,” the warrant officer said, adding that the investigation had been concluded within four days.
Sander continued: “It was filed negative.”
He confirmed that he was neither suspended nor formally briefed on the outcome.
Financial impact of transfer
Sander said the transfer negatively impacted him professionally and financially, as his danger and operational allowances were discontinued and his R1 000 monthly scarce skills benefit faced possible suspension although it never occurred.
“Financially, it’s a huge knockdown now to be sitting in an office.”
He suggested that his reassignment may have been influenced by strained relations with senior management, which he linked to a complaint he had previously lodged.
“Prior to me being moved for this investigation into corruption, my immediate commander and I were not seeing eye to eye due to allegations of theft of exhibits and dockets going missing.
“I filed a complaint about that, and I don’t think management took a liking to that. That would have been the start.”
Sander also outlined unsuccessful attempts to transfer and work as an investigator at Durban Central Police Station.
Instead, he was placed in another position within the service.
“If you ask how to challenge the system as a junior, you learn quickly that you can’t.”
