Remaining testimony postponed indefinitely on security concerns (Day 131, 2 July)
On 2 July 2026, with Nku present and due to conclude his evidence, chairperson Mbuyiseli Madlanga abruptly halted proceedings: 'There are security concerns about Nku. We cannot hear his testimony at this stage. The hearing of his testimony is postponed indefinitely.' The commission did not detail the nature of the concerns and said an announcement would follow on when and under what circumstances Nku would return. This is a procedural development, not a finding.
The 'spiritual leader' turnaround (Day 128, 29 June)
After a weekend postponement to file a supplementary statement, Nku returned on 29 June and substantially changed his account - commentators called it a '360'. He told the commission a 'hard chat' with his spiritual leader, who urged him to be honest ('the Lord will take care of the rest'), had prompted him to come back. He now described the Aeroton operation as part of a 'broader business scheme': he said his 'distant relative', former deputy defence minister Kebby Maphatsoe, introduced him in 2021 to a man known as 'Alpha' (also 'Iby'/'Eby'), and that arranging the R300 million bust actually prevented a turf war by stopping the consignment reaching a rival trafficker. He also suggested Gauteng traffic chief Samuel Mashaba may have wanted to 'take' the cocaine. Chairperson Madlanga voiced frustration that, even after the extra time, Nku had still not 'come clean'. All untested; Maphatsoe and Mashaba are presumed innocent.
Gave his account (Days 126-127, June 2026)
Nku finally testified on 25-26 June 2026, defending his presence at the Aeroton scene and the cash found with him. He said he was carrying roughly R64,000-R65,000 because the trip was unplanned and he was unsure of accommodation, and maintained he was an unregistered, unpaid police informer rather than a participant. His testimony was then postponed to 29 June for him to prepare a supplementary statement. His account is contested and untested.
Self-described consultant: 'ethical hacking' and foreign intelligence
Nku described himself to the commission as an entrepreneur and consultant proficient in data analysis, 'ethical hacking', consignment and inventory management, and cyber-penetration testing, whose clients include tenderpreneurs. He testified that he had consulted for and been paid by foreign intelligence agencies, and said he was 'still building rapport with law enforcement agencies'. These claims are untested.
Said he told the late Lt-Gen Mfazi about the consignment
Nku testified that he informed Lieutenant-General Mfazi - a senior officer he described as having been 'poisoned', now deceased - about the roughly R286 million cocaine consignment that arrived in South Africa, relaying updated intelligence once via a secure messaging app. The account cannot be tested against Mfazi and is untested.
Witness J: 'a drug trafficker, not an informer'
A Hawks analyst testifying as 'Witness J' told the commission that, on cellphone records, encrypted messages and movement data, Nku's conduct was inconsistent with that of an informer and instead pointed to direct involvement in moving the truck that carried the cocaine from Durban to Gauteng - alleging he was part of the trafficking network, not a police source. These are untested allegations; Nku denies them and is presumed innocent.
Tipped off Mashaba to the Durban cocaine truck
Evidence before the commission is that Nku alerted Mashaba, the night before the 2021 Aeroton bust, to a truck travelling from Durban allegedly carrying drugs, giving him the truck's details the next morning. The Mail & Guardian reported the commission heard Nku was tracked alongside the roughly 715kg cocaine shipment from Durban to Johannesburg. These are untested allegations.
Alleged payments to a police officer
Evidence leaders put it to Mashaba that Nku 'was funding' him - making payments to a serving officer, the opposite of how a registered police informant is handled. The commission has used this to question Mashaba's claim that Nku was merely his informer. Untested allegations; presumed innocent.
WhatsApp exchanges about the consignment and evading police
The commission examined extensive WhatsApp chats between Nku and Mashaba, including messages about the truck's movements and avoiding detection. Hawks investigator Lt-Col Nkoana Sebola earlier testified that a contact saved as 'General Mashaba of Hawks' on a suspect's phone was matched by cellphone number to Mashaba. Untested allegations.
Messages touching on senior politicians
Among the Nku-Mashaba chats the commission scrutinised were a 29 May 2019 message reading 'I see DD is back, let's move on our issues' - which the commission says refers to the late Deputy President David 'DD' Mabuza - and a June 2019 message in which Mashaba urged that they 'look after Faith', newly appointed Gauteng Community Safety MEC Faith Mazibuko. Neither Mabuza (deceased) nor Mazibuko is a commission witness; these are untested allegations and all named are presumed innocent.
Disputed informant status
IPID investigator Zelda Maphosho earlier testified that she interviewed Nku, who claimed to be a police informer but offered nothing she could verify, spoke vaguely of working for a now-deceased general and of 'hacking', and was likely not a registered informer. His true role is among the questions the commission expects to put to him directly. Untested allegations.
R60,000 cash and presence at the scene
The commission heard that Nku was at the Aeroton scene, parked near the drug-laden bakkie, with about R60,000 in cash found in his car. Commissioner Sandile Khumalo questioned whether it was normal for an informant to carry that much cash and suggested Nku may have been there to keep watch over the drugs and establish where they were headed - rather than acting as a police source. These are untested allegations; when he testified on 25-26 June 2026 Nku defended carrying the cash as money for an unplanned trip. Presumed innocent.
