Hearing record

Day 126

25 June 2026

Day 126, 25 June 2026. Businessman Itumeleng 'Tumelo' Nku began his long-delayed testimony before the Madlanga Commission on his role at the 2021 Aeroton drug bust (the roughly R286 million cocaine consignment). He was grilled over why he was at the scene with about R60,000-R65,000 in cash, which he said was money for an unplanned trip, and maintained he was an unregistered, unpaid police informer rather than a participant. He testified that he had told a senior officer, the late Lieutenant-General Mfazi, about the consignment via a secure messaging app. A Hawks analyst testifying as 'Witness J' had told the commission that records pointed to Nku being part of the trafficking network, 'a drug trafficker, not an informer'. All allegations are untested; Nku is presumed innocent.