SANEB

Warrant Officer Mpangase agrees the manner of operation in SANEB was not correct and indicates the covert operation handling was flawed.

“I would say it was the manner in which we operated in SANEB . It seems it was not correct .”

SOCI as an entity comprises three subsections: National Priority Violence Crime (NPVC), South African Narcotic Enforcement Bureau (SANEB), and EPR.

“SOCI is Serious Organised Crime, and Serious Organised Crime is divided into three subsections. The NPVC, National Priority Violence Crime, SANEB, South African Narcotic Enforcement Bureau, and the EPR.”

Placing the member at SANEB, where he originally was, instead of EPR, would have been in compliance with the General's instruction to return to SOCI.

“If Brigadier Nyuswa had placed him at SANEB, where he originally was, instead of EPR, that would still have been in compliance with your instruction that he must return to SOCI.”

Brigadier Naicker was present at the inspection to check on certain SANEB cases and came with two Warrant Officers, but never informed the Commission about the visit or the storage of drugs found there.

“this Brigadier was there, and Prinsloo confirmed it, he was there. He came with two Warrant Officers to do inspections on certain SANEB cases ... they went aside and discussed the issue of the storage of drugs that were there and he never informed the Commission while he was here”

Warrant Officer Mpangase from the SANEB section reported involvement in a suspected drug shipping container operation at Isipingo.

“I was on duty when I received a call from Warrant Officer Mpangase from the SANEB section. He reports to Lieutenant Colonel Jacob who was the SANEB team leader at the time. He informed me that he was contacted by Crime Intelligence regarding a suspected drug shipping container at Isipingo.”

On 22 June 2021, the SANEB team led by Lieutenant Colonel Jacob found 27 black bags containing suspected cocaine at a container depot in Isipingo.

“Later that morning, I received a call from Lieutenant Colonel Jacob informing me that the team searched a container at Isipingo container depot and found 27 black bags containing bricks suspected to be Cocaine.”

Warrant Officer Sander was moved from SANEB to Supply Chain Management in February 2024 without consulting Brigadier Nyuswa, who was surprised by this action.

“I was present in the meeting when General Senona informed him of the allegations together with other officials. I was on leave at the time and I was not present at that meeting...I was surprised when I returned from the leave to find that Warrant Officer Sander had been moved to Support Services at the provincial office. General Senona did not consult me on this.”

Prior to the February 2024 complaint, a July 2023 complaint was received from the office of the DPCI Judge about a certain Captain formerly with SANEB, relating to white members of the KZN DPCI in SANEB and other units working with drug syndicates. Lieutenant Colonels Jacoba and Dwarika were assigned to investigate but no outcome has been reported.

“Prior to the February 2024 complaint, another complaint was received from the office of the DPCI Judge in July 2023 about a certain Captain who used to work at SANEB, but the name of Warrant Officer Sander was not mentioned. The complaint contained the Captain and the complaint was about white members of the KZN DPCI in SANEB and other units working with drug syndicate. Lieutenant Colonel Jacoba and Lieutenant Colonel Dwarika were assigned to investigate the complaint, but to date there has not been no outcome.”

The Captain implicated in complaints was already out of SANEB and was a partner of Warrant Officer Sander while in SANEB.

“The Captain was already out of the SANEB and he was a partner of, while he was in SANEB, was a partner of Warrant Officer Sander.”

The complainant in the whistleblower email may not have existed and could have been an attempt to get Warrant Officer Sander moved from SANEB because he was doing a good job and stepping on toes.

“the complainant may not even exist. It could have just been an attempt to move him, get him to be moved from SANEB because he was doing a good job, which is what he was saying, that he was stepping on toes and that is why he was being moved”

Warrant Officer Sander was moved from SANEB to EP Protected Resources on instruction of General Senona following an investigation that concluded in March 2025.

“after this letter, it is then that we moved him to EP on instruction by General Senona”

The decision for Warrant Officer Sander to go to EP Protected Resources instead of back to SANEB was made by the Provincial Head and complied with by Brigadier Nyuswa.

“It was a decision by the Provincial Head that he does not go to SANEB , he must go to EPR , and I complied”

Lieutenant Colonel Jacob was once placed at Serious Commercial Crime during the investigation period and then moved back to SANEB after the investigation was finalized.

“I know that he was once placed at Serious Commercial Crime. - ... And it was pending the outcome of that investigation and when that investigation was finalised he was moved back to SANEB.”

Brigadier Nyuswa stated there was no reason he could see why Warrant Officer Sanders should not have gone back to SANEB at the conclusion of the investigation, but the decision was made by his superior.

“I do not see a reason why he should not have been placed back to SANEB. - Because I was following orders. - No, I do not see a reason.”

Warrant Officer Sander challenged the cancellation of his scarce skills allowance and service allowance, which led to his transfer to the Employee Performance Review (EPR) section rather than back to his operational unit SANEB.

“According to him, it was because he challenged the cancellation of his scarce skills allowance... he was ultimately moved, not to SANEB, but to EPR... because he was complaining about his scarce skills allowance and his service allowance”

Warrant Officer Sander was moved to EPR as a compromise to prevent losing his scarce skills allowance, not at Brigadier Nyuswa's direct request to General Senona to move him back to the operational unit SANEB.

“ADV SEGEELS-NCUBE”

In 2021, a truck carrying a boat containing one tonne of cocaine was seized during a bust operation involving SANEB and other office members at the scene.

“The 2021, it was a truck carrying a boat, which boat had one tonne of Cocaine.”

The consignment of cocaine seized in the 2021 operation was booked at Pretoria West Training College for safety instead of at a police station.

“Page 11 of 135 book from my office, and bring it to Pretoria West Training College, where the seized Cocaine was booked at for safety.”

In 2021, as Team Leader of SANEB, WITNESS I's members received a tip-off about a person transporting drugs to Pretoria; the team intercepted the person on N4 and found crystal meth worth about R600,000 in the vehicle.

“In 2021, as a Team Leader of SANEB, my members received a tip-off of a person who will be transporting drugs, bringing them to Pretoria. The SANEB team of Pretoria Organised Crime activated the information and intercepted the said person on N4. ... the vehicle contents were checked and Crystal Meth was found inside this vehicle worth about R600000.”

WITNESS I led the SANEB Pretoria Organised Crime team during the 2021 crystal meth interception operation.

“I was leading the team on that operation.”

After the Aeroton operation and before transfer to TOMS, WITNESS I was not involved in another operation.

“After the Aeroton one, while you were still with SANEB, before you were transferred to TOMS, there was not another operation where you were involved in? No, not that I can recall, Commissioner.”

Witness I was Team Leader at SANEB in 2001, leading a team investigating drug-related matters such as smuggling, dealing and trafficking.

“In 2001 when you were the Team Leader of SANEB, what were your duties then? It was leading a team in investigating drug-related matters, smuggling and dealing and trafficking of drugs within the country”

Witness I's SANEB team comprised about four to five members and operated territorially in Gauteng province.

“I think there were four to five members. It is Gauteng. The entire Gauteng? Yes.”

Witness I is the Team Leader of SANEB and members of several SAPS units inform him about drug-related scenes to provide alerts or ask for engagement.

“I am Team Leader of SANEB, and if they hear or have a scenario where drugs-related things are there, they should inform me.”

The Aeroton case falls within the SANEB section dealing with organized crime investigations, but there was no Unit Commander informed or involved, including Colonel Zondi.

“SANEB fall... part of section within organized crime investigations... there was Colonel Zondi, he was never informed about this... there is no Unit Commander”

Organized crime has three components: SANEB, EP, and NPVC according to Lieutenant-Colonel Sibiya.

“Organized crime has got three components. It is SANEB, EP and NPVC.”

Lieutenant Colonel Sibiya and Colonel Moodley were temporarily transferred to Organized Crime in 2020, with Moodley going to SANEB section and Sibiya to EPR section.

“In 2020, we were called by Colonel Singh...myself and Colonel Moodley, we are transferred to Organized Crime at number 136, but Colonel Moodley will go to SANEB section, then I will go to EPR.”

Lieutenant Colonel Sibiya's temporary assignment lasted from 2020 until his promotion in September 2021, after which he took up a position at Organized Crime in SANEB section.

“For me, I think it was when I was told up until I was promoted. When I was promoted, then I had to take up my post at Organized Crime, but only at a different section, not EPR, at SANEB section.”

Lieutenant Colonel Sibiya was promoted to SANEB in September 2021.

“I was promoted to SANEB in September, stof September I was promoted to SANEB, 2021.”

Lieutenant Colonel Sibiya states that his involvement in the investigation was minimal as he mainly assisted two seasoned SANEB investigators who handled everything.

“It was very minimal, because I had two seasoned SANEB investigators who were handling everything. So for me it was just to follow orders and assist in terms of whatever request they are making for me to assist them.”

On the day of transporting exhibits from Isipingo to Port Shepstone, members from NPVC were used, and the following day SANEB members took the lead in bagging exhibits, indicating inter-section assistance happens.

“...on the very same day when we were transporting exhibit from Isipingo to Port Shepstone, we used members from NPVC. The following day when we were going to bag exhibit, members from SANEB were utilised ...”

Colonel Jacob and Warrant Officer Mpangase were from SANEB and took the lead during the evidence collection at the crime scene and depot, while LT-Col Sibiya did not make notes as he trusted the investigating officers.

“...Colonel Jacob and Warrant Officer Mpangase, they were from SANEB, so they had to take the lead. For me, I did not even make notes, because I knew that the investigating officer and the crime scene manager, they are there...”

Colonel Jacob stated he bears no knowledge of the disputed document but has a memory stick with a similar but altered presentation he prepared for SANEB presented in Cape Town.

“I bear no knowledge of this document ... I have done a presentation for SANEB that was presented in Cape Town ... it is somewhat similar, but I see it is chopped and changed”

Colonel Jacob explains that he chose Warrant Officer Sibiya because he had tensions with other SANEB members, and Sibiya was someone he got along with and trusted to work on the narcotics operation to ensure a successful drug bust.

“Part of my problems of why I landed up in Commercial Crime was due to the fact that certain SANEB members and I were not seeing eye to eye… So I saw fit now to choose guys that I knew I was, you know, we were friends… I made my choice of members who I did choose.”

Colonel Jacob admits he was moved from SANEB to Commercial Crime due to allegations against him, which he says were fabricated and unfounded, and that he eventually returned to SANEB after over a year.

“I was moved to Commercial Crime from 2018 to 2019 for one year. There were allegations against me… I know some were fabricated… they were fabricated against me because it was unfounded. So when I got back to Organized Crime…”

Colonel Jacob admits that SANEB is responsible or involved in all major drug operations, focusing on high-level criminal value chains to disrupt wholesalers, financiers, distributors, and international traffickers.

“When it comes to our mandate, we try to focus on what we call a criminal value chain and levels 3, 4, and 5, that meaning we are looking at your wholesalers, your financiers, your distributors, your international drug traffickers. So we try to focus on those involved in the drug industry that are quite prominent... SANEB is responsible or involved in all major drug operations.”

Colonel Jacob loves his job and looks forward to working, giving him a thrill to do drug busts or operations; on the 22nd of March 2026 he came back from vacation leave but was still technically on vacation leave when called to assist on a drug operation on a Sunday.

“I love my job ... I look forward to working ... it gives me a thrill to do a drug bust or any operation ... on the 22nd of March this year ... had come back from a vacation in Margate and still on vacation leave ... one of my SANEB guys called me to assist to execute a search warrant ... he asked me to come through and assist ... so I went there”

Colonel Jacob is senior and familiar with the SANEB environment.

“We know from a mention of his name that he is quite senior and familiar with the environment . SANEB , I think he is SANEB at some point .”

Warrant Officer Sander developed and has been involved in training the Specialized Narcotics Investigation Program since about 2000, which includes training members of SAPS, SANEB, DPCI, Customs, Organized Crime, Crime Intelligence, and FSLA members.

“For the last , yoh , I began in about 2000 , traveling around the country , training the different Narcotics units , Crime Intelligence , and Organized Crime . We began developing a training program . It is the program that I mentioned now . It is the Specialized Narcotics Investigation Program . There was a team of us , and that is what I did . It trained the DPCI , the SANEB members , the Station members , Organized Crime , Crime Intelligence , Customs . We sit in with members from FSLA as well , so it is quite a cool course .”

The SANEB section focuses on drug-related legal and illegal activities.

“The other section that was where I was based is SANEB, concentrating on drugs and all this relevant legal drugs and illegal drugs”

Lt-Col Sebola kept in contact with Colonel Jacobs, who took over SANEB, but they did not engage extensively; he only contacted an analyst to check communications between Mashaba and Jolene or others in that company.

“I kept in contact with Colonel Jacobs... with him we did not engage, but I was only contacting the analyst to say... if maybe you have tracks of any communication between Mashaba and Jolene or somebody there.”

Warrant Officer Magane called Brigadier Lewele from DPCI because he knew he was the head of DPCI in Germiston and because Brigadier Lewele is part of Serious Anti-Corruption, not SANEB.

“I called Brigadier Lewele ... he is the Head of DPCI in Germiston ... No, no, he is at Serious Anti-Corruption. ... I did not have numbers of a SANEB member at DPCI, so I was going to ask him to organize a SANEB”

Warrant Officer Magane failed to call all relevant units like LCRC, SANEB, Dog Unit, Forensic Lab, VISPOL, and Booysens to the crime scene during the drug bust operation.

“You did not call LCRC, you did not call SANEB, you did not call Dog Unit ... You did not try to call the Forensic Lab, you did not call VISPOL, you did not call Booysens, you did not call anyone that is relevant.”

Colonel Francois Steyn joined the South African Police Service in 1987 and worked in various units including Vehicle Theft Unit, Vehicle Finance Fraud Unit, Organised Crime Unit and Serious Organised Crime Unit with increasing ranks, currently serving as Unit Commander in West Rand Serious Organised Crime Unit.

“I joined the South African Police Service in 1987... transferred to the Hillbrow Vehicle Theft Unit...promoted to captain ...Unit Commander of the Vehicle Finance Fraud Unit...Organised Crime Unit in Pretoria...promoted to Senior Superintendent ...Unit Commander of East Rand Organised Crime Unit... transferred to Priority Violent Crime Unit as Team Leader ... Provincial Coordinator for SANEB ... transferred to West Rand Serious Organised Crime Unit, where I was appointed Unit Commander, and currently still serving there.”

SANEB stands for South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau, a provincial team responsible for investigating serious and violent crime, established around 2016 to combat illicit drug trade escalation.

“SANEB stands for South African Narcotics Enforcement Bureau... established around 016 to combat and escalate... SANEB team was together with the NPVC team... established to combat the escalation in illicit drug trade in South Africa.”

During 2022, the NPVC and SANEB teams were disbanded; Colonel Steyn remained as project manager for undercover investigation into a drug syndicate at the provincial office while continuing as Provincial Coordinator for SANEB and KFR investigations.

“During 2022, both NPVC and SANEB teams were disbanded... I remained stationed at the provincial office, where I continued with being the project manager of undercover investigation into a drug syndicate... I continued to perform duties as the Provincial Coordinator for SANEB and KFR...”

Currently Colonel Steyn serves as Unit Commander for Serious Organised Crime Investigations in West Rand and coordinates major investigations involving narcotics, cash-in-transit robberies, police killings, illicit gold and diamond dealing, infrastructure crimes, trafficking in persons and kidnapping for ransom.

“My current responsibilities, as I am serving as a Unit Commander for Serious Organised Crime Investigations in West Rand... I also oversee investigations involving narcotic-related offences, cash-in-transit robberies, police killings, illicit gold and diamond dealing, infrastructure-related crimes, trafficking in persons and kidnapping for ransom investigations... I am also continuing duties as Provincial Coordinator for SANEB and KFR investigations... I coordinate most major investigations dealt with by the aforesaid structure within the Gauteng province.”

SANEB is responsible for narcotic investigations, has a National Coordinator Brigadier Devon Naicker, and coordinates international narcotics investigations including cooperation with foreign law enforcement agencies.

“the unit responsible for narcotic investigations, commonly referred to as the SANEB section... SANEB further has a National Coordinator by the name of Brigadier Devon Naicker, who performs similar coordinating functions, but on a national level... Such functions will, inter alia, include engagement and coordination with foreign law enforcement agencies”

There should be escalated and constant training on the latest developments in illicit drug trade environment for SANEB members.

“the specialised training that, in my humble opinion, is suggesting in terms of the skills of SANEB members that should be escalated, and further training and constant training on the latest developments within this environment of illicit drug trade and so forth, ja.”

The ideal policing situation would be for SANEB to be the central body called to a drug bust scene, but manpower limitations make this difficult with only small drug busts being handled by SANEB personnel.

“That would be the ideal. But as I mentioned during the challenges, the issue of manpower within the SANEB environment can be a challenge... small drug busts... totally overload the SANEB personnel... But it would be ideal if one could have enough manpower for one central point, yes.”

Brigadier Naicker of SANEB was not present when the drugs were delivered, but as SANEB coordinator, he would have been informed as drug related matters go through his office.

“He was not? No. I presume he was informed, because all seizures of drugs gets reported through his office.”

Brigadier Naicker as the SANEB coordinator for South Africa would know details such as drugs stored at FSL and their locations.

“For South Africa. All drug-related matters goes through his office. ... Yes, he would have that.”

Colonel Jacob's direct superior at the time would have been the unit commander, who reported up to Brigadier Nyuswa as provincial commander.

“At that time, if he was the team leader for SANEB, then it would have been the unit commander . I do not know if there was a unit commander in Durban by then . And then obviously that follows up to the provincial structures, who would be Brigadier Nyuswa as the provincial commander .”