Alberton

Advocate Baloyi states that Mr Nku and Warrant Officer Magane were sufficient to handle the drugs and that they planned to take the drugs to Zonkizizwe or Alberton, but Mr Nku did not want others to know about these drugs and did not tell his superiors because of distrust.

“He and Warrant Officer Magane were sufficient. They were going to take those drugs, and their plan, I think he said one of them said we will take them to Zonkizizwe, another one said would have taken them to Alberton ... he did not want anyone else to know about these drugs, and we had a lengthy debate with him about this bust. He did not tell his superiors, he did not tell anybody because he does not trust people.”

Phakula was told to go to Alberton because the plan was to take the collected items there, but Chief Mashaba did not wait for Phakula before opening the container and arresting people.

“Phakula in fact says she went to Alberton because he was told that once you have collected what you were collecting, you will be taking it to Alberton... you had already opened the containers, you had already arrested people.”

Chief Mashaba said they did not know how long Phakula would take to arrive and were under the impression everything started and would end in Alberton.

“Well, we did not know how long will Phakula take to arrive... We were under the impression that because everything started in Alberton...Because everything started in Alberton, it will end in Alberton.”

Chief Mashaba admitted they were going to take the bags (seven in number) to the impound in Alberton, detain if necessary, and take the cargo to 13 in Alberton.

“We were going to detain, if need be, and take the cargo to 13 in Alberton... To 13 in Alberton, yes.”

There was a misunderstanding between Booysen's team and Chief Mashaba's team about a hijacking complaint and the location of the arrest, resolved with agreement to book the driver and consignment at Booysen's location.

“We spoke to Booysen's Sector bakkie, they said guys, we are attending to a complaint that there is a hijack or you guys are bogus, can you please identify yourselves? We identified ourselves, and then they were happy. ... The driver of the truck is going to be arrested. ... The argument that is being said was that there was a misunderstanding between us and them ... that where are we going to detain, or where are we going to book the consignment ... we said we will go back to Alberton. They said, no, no, no, we cannot go to Alberton. It is happening now. You opened it in our area in Booysen's, so we will have to book them here in Booysen's.”

Chief Mashaba would have reported murders or armed robberies to the relevant SAPS police station where the crime occurred, e.g. Alberton.

“I will report to a police station that is where that murder has occurred. Let us say if it happened in Alberton, I will report to Alberton.”

Regarding narcotics suspected to be transported from Durban to Gauteng, Chief Mashaba states jurisdiction and reporting would be to Alberton police station within SAPS.

“Let us start with its jurisdiction of that narcotics, where is it. ... Albertont. Because it is in Yellow Jersey. Yellow Jersey is policed by Alberton.”

Agreement was confirmed that the witness would meet Warrant Officer Magane at Alberton and that the consignment and driver would also be brought there.

“The agreement was that you will meet him at Alberton...And the further understanding was that he will bring the consignment and the driver to Alberton.”

The initial plan was that the exhibits were going to be driven to Alberton to be booked at SAPS 13 police station.

“the initial plan was that the exhibits were going to be driven to Alberton, to be booked at a police station in Alberton”

Chief Mashaba's request for assistance fell outside the jurisdiction of the witness's station, because Chief Mashaba was at Londi in Alberton, while the witness's jurisdiction was Zonkizizwe prison.

“the CSC members are only allowed to work within our, the jurisdiction or the prison of Zonkizizwe. So when Mashaba was asking this assistance, he was at Londi, Londi which falls under Alberton.”

The alleged drug-carrying truck arrived at Roodekop industrial area in Alberton on Thursday the 8th, with registration and container details shown to the witness via Cellphone by Mr Nku.

“A truck which was, which arrived the night before, which was on Thursday the 8th, ... Arrived at Roodekop ... This truck was allegedly carrying drugs or transporting drugs. He also showed me the registration number and the number of that alleged container on his cell phone, showed me the picture of that container and the truck.”

The drugs and suspect were planned to be booked at Booysens Police Station, not Alberton, because the drugs were found in Aeroton, the scene of the crime.

“The drugs were going to be booked at Booysens. And the suspect was going to be booked at Booysens.”

Advocate Baloyi alleges Warrant Officer Magane and Mashaba were middlemen in a drug consignment operation, did not call any drug enforcement role players, left before processing was complete, and lied about destination to Scania personnel.

“You so happened to be in the middle of it. You and Mashaba happened to be in the middle of it... you have not called a single role player involved with drug enforcement... no LCRC... no Booysens... they surprise you by arriving... You lie to them to say the drugs are going to your station... you lie to say they are going to Alberton... you are being untruthful about this... this whole operation was never... you would have played things by the book if there was intent... you had ulterior motives.”

Warrant Officer Magane states that he was going to take the 23 drug bags to Alberton and had counted and taken a picture of them for his superior before loading them onto his vehicle.

“You put them onto, you back up your van to the trailer, to the container ... there are 23 bags ... you had even taken a picture to send to your superior ... you are going to take them somewhere ... to Alberton in fact ... if Booysens had not arrived, you would have taken them to Alberton ...”

Warrant Officer Magane asked Chief Mashaba why he contacted people outside of his own Traffic Department instead of his colleagues and was told that the matter related to Roodekop in Alberton and that Warrant Officer Pokongwane was referred to handle it.

“Yes. And the reason was that this thing, the information was about Roodekop, which happened to be in Alberton. That is when he thought about Warrant Officer Pokongwane and that Warrant Officer Pokongwane referred him to me.”