M R N K U

Mr Nku states that becoming part of a criminal network's planning is extremely difficult without a specific request for intervention from the network.

“I am saying, Advocate Segeels, that to just come and encroach in a network, it is not easy. These are people who are seasoned in what they have been doing, so for me to get to that stage where I become part of their plannery in the network, it is extremely difficult, unless when they would reach a difficulty and request intervention that would be a last draw on their end”

Advocate Segeels suggests that Mr Nku succeeded in becoming part of the network since he received a screenshot of a conversation relevant to the network planning.

“But it seems from this text that you succeeded, because why would they send you a screenshot of a conversation between John Wick and Iby if you had not been successful in becoming part of their network”

Mr Nku clarifies that getting an 'inside man' during planning is not the same as being inside the network itself, and he is reluctant to publicly disclose reasons related to having an inside man.

“Succeeding in terms of getting an inside man is not similar to succeeding being inside yourself. So, that is why I say that I would not want to publicly divulge reasons why one had an inside man”

Mr Nku's involvement was not with the Aeroton consignment that landed but rather with a different consignment that was in planning.

“I was getting information fed... So, it would seem that they were planning a shipment... Still consignment still to come... No, a different one... That was still to come...”

Mr Nku explains that he was gathering intelligence informally during the planning phase and only knew one individual personally until 2021, and that contact with John Wick was incidental due to being in the same environment.

“I only knew the gentleman that year in 2021... John Wick character is not someone that I knew just that yet. It is someone that, it is just that it happened that one became aware, oh, you are in the same room with certain individuals, so that is why for me it was easy to get information from him, albeit I am not part of the planning”

Mr Nku kept tabs on a group related to the consignment planning not at Aeroton due to the nature of the organization the informant was from, and he fears public disclosure would endanger his life.

“My reasons for keeping tabs and wanting to, or rather being involved in a sense of getting the information... directly relates to the type of organisation that the gentleman is from, which divulging that publicly would put my life even in more danger than it already is... For me to keep tabs was directly in relation to the organisation that the gentleman is involved with”

Mr Nku states that his introduction to the consignment group by Mr Maphatsoe was vague and not specific to any consignment but was part of internal planning connected to competitors of Iby.

“The introduction was not consignment specific, I would say that, but it was because they also had an inside man on the other side... yes, so this is their internal planning... It was not planning for disrupting other people's operations... The mandate was rather there is so-and-so who is in the same business as Mr Iby”

Certain containers were prioritized for transport ahead of others in consignment management, which is unusual and suspicious practice.

“certain containers were identified as being prioritized for transportation... I would say, if it is goods or containers, that are prioritized for collection ahead of others”

In usual consignment management, if a company receives containers, all would be prioritized, not just some, suggesting unusual selection.

“if an entity is receiving, say for instance, 0 containers, the best would be prioritizing all of them. Why then prioritize one or two of those if they would be transporting the same thing”

M R N K U has consulting experience related to consignment management and supply chain broadly, covering sectors like beverage supply.

“I have had a company that has worked in consignment management extensively across various industries like beverage and supplying other goods”

M R N K U's relationship with Transnet is limited to consulting for a company that had consulted with Transnet before.

“my relationship with Transnet was limited to consulting. So, I have worked for a company that has consulted with Transnet before”

M R N K U has never worked directly for any port authority or related entities in the port space, only for the company that consulted with Transnet.

“You have never worked for any of those entities that have activities in the port? It was limited to the company that I worked that was consulting with Transnet because I have been at portside years ago”

M R N K U's consulting exposure to the ICT systems used by Transnet includes understanding inner workings relevant to active directories but does not extend to handling or movement of containers.

“So, the ICT systems which Transnet would be using... it is mostly rooted in the ICT space... No, no, no. It is mostly around your active direct, it is mostly rooted in the ICT space... I believe it is SEP, it is more end user orientated... and not necessarily relating to shipment of goods”

The witness admits that at the time of their travel, they did not know the type of hotel they would be accommodated in, and taking the cash was a spur of the moment decision due to cash being at one's disposal.

“I did not know the type of hotel that I would be accommodated in. There are much more expensive hotels in the area ... it was a spur of a moment because cash was at one's disposal. I did not take a subconscious decision of taking the total sum, but just taking some”

The witness did not have exact details of the container number until very late and only had general intelligence about 11 containers, prioritizing which to follow up.

“I did not have that until the very end, if I am not mistaken. If it is not the 8th, it would be the 7th. It was up until the very end. I knew that there would be, my intel was that there would be 11 containers, but obviously, because there are some that would need following up upon. Hence, I say one checks which ones are prioritised”

The witness had detailed information about the timing of the vessel leaving Brazil and docking, contradicting their claim of not knowing how long they would be in Durban.

“You knew the vessel has left Brazil. You knew it is docking. Otherwise, you are going there on the 7th and not on the 2nd or on the 20th of July. It does not make sense. So you had enough information to know that it has, and it must be so, that you knew it has left Brazil. You knew it is expected to dock on a certain date”