By: Zilungile Mkhize
Traffic Chief Inspector Samuel Mashaba has come under scrutiny at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry over his handling of a truck carrying 715 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of R300 million.
The drugs were concealed in a shipping container and were tracked by authorities from Durban to Johannesburg in July 2021 as part of an operation targeting a suspected drug trafficking network.
During proceedings before the commission, evidence leader Lee Segeels-Ncube questioned Mashaba about why the truck was not stopped and inspected at the Heidelberg weighbridge, despite information allegedly being available to him beforehand regarding the shipment.
The commission heard that law enforcement agencies had been monitoring the movement of the container and that opportunities may have existed to intercept the vehicle before it reached its destination.
Segeels-Ncube pressed Mashaba on the decisions taken during the operation, seeking clarity on whether established procedures were followed and whether any failures in communication or coordination contributed to the truck not being stopped.
The inquiry is examining allegations of corruption and misconduct within law enforcement agencies, including claims that criminal syndicates may have received assistance from officials responsible for combating organised crime.
Mashaba is expected to continue his testimony as the commission probes the circumstances surrounding the movement of the cocaine shipment and the actions of officials involved in the operation.
