The spotlight fell squarely on businessman Tumelo Nku on Thursday, 25 June 2026, as he faced probing questions at the Madlanga commission over his role in the controversial Aeroton cocaine seizure.

His testimony focused on the 9 July 2021 operation that uncovered cocaine valued at roughly R300 million at a warehouse in Aeroton, south of Johannesburg.

Nku, whose tip-off led to the operation, has faced allegations that he was involved in an attempt to steal the drugs alongside Gauteng Traffic Police chief Samuel Mashaba before the Hawks intervened.

Although 715.86 kilograms of cocaine was initially confiscated, the commission has heard that 136.46 kilograms later disappeared from police storage.

Tumelo Nku testifies at Madlanga commission

Taking the stand at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria, Nku cast himself as a skilled entrepreneur with a background in data analysis, “ethical hacking” and logistics.

He told the commission he had previously worked with Transnet and other organisations.

Nku distanced himself from government-linked business dealings, adding that he was a “business consultant” whose clients include tenderpreneurs.

“I am not a tenderpreneur. I do not run a business which is tendering for municipalities and government [contracts],” he said on Thursday.

He also pushed back against being labelled a police informant.

“I was not a paid informer,” Nku remarked.

Instead, Nku described his role as that of a “confidential source” who shared information voluntarily, though he admitted he has undertaken paid work for foreign intelligence entities due to his specialised skills.

He initially believed registering as an informant would be straightforward, but the process turned out to be longer than he had expected.

“I didn’t have a timeframe in mind, but rather what was more important was building rapport, because the more reliable information you provide, the more rapport you build.”

The commission has heard conflicting accounts regarding Nku’s role.

Earlier testimony from a Hawks analyst, known as Witness J, described him not as an informant, but as an active participant in drug trafficking operations involving cargo containers.

‘People end up dying’

Nku declined to reveal how he obtains information about such shipments, saying any disclosure would amount to “self-incrimination” as the intelligence is “acquired in an orthodox manner”.

He rejected suggestions that his intelligence came from customs officials and insisted that he never disclosed his sources to police contacts such as Mashaba.

“We never traversed that terrain as to whether I have a source.

“Generally, when one gives information, the person receiving information cares about the information and nothing else because, more often than not, there would be a fear that if you start asking where you are getting the information, the person who is providing information will just run away.”

Explaining his selective sharing of intelligence, Nku emphasised the importance of trust and established relationships between the informer and their handler .

“It’s difficult to go out and give just about anyone information; like I said, people end up dying if that is done,” he testified.

Relationship with Mashaba

Nku admitted to knowing Mashaba but maintained that, prior to the Aeroton operation, their relationship was of “professional acquaintance”.

According to the businessman, their connection began around late 2018 or early 2019 through a mutual acquaintance at a funeral, where Mashaba was identified as someone who could channel suspected criminal activity to “appropriate law enforcement structures”.

“We would not ordinarily share social spaces, albeit it may be as a consequence of him knowing someone that I know.”

Their relationship, he said, only deepened at a later stage.

“Post 9 July 2021, we have built a more personal friendship, particularly given the fact that we have endured similar persecutions and vilification subsequent to our arrest.”

Both men were arrested by the Hawks during the cocaine seizure operation and charged with drug-related offences and defeating the ends of justice, though the National Prosecuting Authority later withdrew the case.

Questions around Aeroton drug bust tracing and cash

Evidence presented before the commission about the Aetoron drug bust revealed that Nku had prior knowledge of the shipment, which departed Brazil on 30 May 2021 and entered South Africa via Durban Harbour on 11 June.

Tracking data placed him along the same route as the Yellow Jersey Logistics truck transporting the drugs to Johannesburg.

Nku testified that he obtained details about the container from an individual with access to Durban Harbour systems.

However, questions were raised about why he monitored the shipment so closely and was present at the Scania warehouse during the operation.

He was further quizzed about more than R60 000 found in his vehicle at the time of his arrest.

He maintained that the cash was legitimate income received from clients and kept as “petty cash”.

According to Nku, he had travelled to Durban on 7 July, and kept the money with him due to the uncertain nature of his trip.

Asked what the money would be used for beyond basic travel expenses, he responded: “Maybe my stay would have been longer.”

However, commission chairperson Mbuyiseli Madlanga challenged his explanation.

“Why must you carry R64 000 or R65 000 for that? Why could you not have paid using your cards for that? You have several bank cards.”

Nku responded that he intended to deposit the money into his bank account.

Madlanga pressed him further on the risks involved: “What stopped you from taking the money out of the safe, giving it to somebody to go and deposit it?”

“Nothing stopped me,” Nku replied.

‘Spur-of-the-moment’

The businessman argued that using cash reduced the risk of detection while following sensitive leads.

“The people whose information I was following up on have got relationships with high-ranking officials.

“Anyone [could’ve been] snooping around… there’s exposure.”

Madlanga remained unconvinced.

“Your responses do not make sense.”

Nku stood by his explanation, insisting the trip was spontaneous and that he needed flexibility.

“There are much more expensive hotels in the area, so I wouldn’t have limited myself.

“It was not pre-planned. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision because cash was at one’s disposal.”