Transnet

Mr. Nku assisted Iby with a delayed shipment of parts related to a flagged container, which underwent rigorous inspection and was eventually cleared through proper channels.

“The shipment had been delayed... container is flagged... undergoes rigorous inspection ... it seemed to be a paperwork issue ... let your clearing agent send all the relevant paperwork to Transnet ... I think that was cleared but it was handled between the clearing agent and the Transnet people”

Mr Nku intended to use his contacts within Transnet and the broader logistics environment to identify, trace and monitor the movement of the shipment and to have Chief Mashaba coordinate or facilitate operational aspects of retrieval or interception before operational steps were taken.

““ A s I u n d e r s t o o a n d f o r m u l a t e d i t a t t h e t i m e w a s t o u s e m y c o n t a c t s w i t h i n T r a n s n e t a n d t h e b r o a d e r l o g i s t i c s e n v i r o n m e n t t o i d e n t i f y , t r a c e a n d m o n i t o r t h e m o v e m e n t o f t h e s h i p m e n t . O n c e t h e r e l e v a n t i n f o r m a t i o n h a d b e e n o b t a i n e d , m y i n t e n t i o n w a s t o i n v o l v e C h i e f M a s h a b a t o c o o r d i n a t e o r f a c i l i t a t e t h e o p e r a t i o n a l a s p e c t s o f t h e r e t r i e v a l o r i n t e r c e p t i o n b e f o r e d e a l i n g w i t h t h e s t e p s t h a t w e r e t a k e n .””

Mr Nku sought assistance from Mr Zama Khuzwayo within Transnet to obtain tracking information about a shipment arriving in South Africa; this was necessary before operational steps could be taken.

“I enlisted Chief Mashaba to assist with the request communicated to me by Mr Mphatswe Ngibi. Before any operational steps could be taken, it was necessary for me to confirm the existence of the shipment and establish its movement once it arrived in South Africa. For that purpose, I travelled to Durban. My intention in travelling to Durban was to approach an acquaintance of mine within Transnet, Mr Zama Khuzwayo, so that he could assist in retrieving the relevant tracking information relating to the shipment”

Mr Khuzwayo was internally blocked from accessing live tracking information on the shipment within Transnet, allegedly due to higher-level interference to limit employee access to specific container consignment information.

“Mr Khuzwayo informed me that, unfortunately, he was blocked internally from accessing the same. The suspicion is that someone higher could have blocked that access for other reasons, to limit the number of Transnet employees from this particular container. From my knowledge and understanding of the Transnet system, it appeared to me that the persons associated with the shipment may have had contacts in Transnet who were monitoring the consignment and activated this limited access within Transnet. The effect of this was that other persons attempting to access the relevant information would be blocked or prevented from doing so”

Within Transnet, access to tracking and container information can be blocked or limited by higher-ranking officials or IT administrators to restrict access to flagged containers.

“in instances where there would be interests around specific containers, high-ranking officials within the company would block access or would have IT administrators, people they work close with, to limit or block access. So it would be as if it is a dedicated case. So I would say a soft block of some sort, as if that container is flagged, the file only to be opened by a case manager in that regard. So the difficulty that he incurred was gaining access to the file itself pertaining to the container in question”

Usually only registered contractors affiliated with Transnet service providers are allowed to collect consignments; independent truckers are required to be registered to participate.

“usually when collections are made, they are made by, I would say, affiliated logistics companies, companies which are – they form part of the service provider model within Transnet. So they are in the database. They then become part of their active directory. So even if you were an individual trucker, you would have to be registered”

Mr Nku confirms that R60,000 cash he had was intended to pay Mr Zamu Khuzwayo in Durban for Transnet tracking information on a truck, but Khuzwayo was unable to provide access to the system, so no payment was made.

“I further confirm that the R60,000 cash that I had with me was intended to pay people in Durban, in particular, Mr Zamu Khuzwayo, to provide me with Transnet tracking information of the truck. However, as explained earlier on, Mr Khuzwayo could not get me the access to the tracking system. As a result, I did not pay him...”

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”

Tu m e l o N k u was once an employee of Transnet and may have connections to assist in opening containers at ports.

“Tu m e l o w a s o n c e a n e m p l o y e e o f Tr a n s n e t . H e m i g h t h a v e c o n n e c t i o n s , m a y b e t o g o i n s i d e t h e p o r t s a n d g e t a s s i s t a n c e t o o p e n t h e c o n t a i n e r”

Tu m e l o N k u might have closer relationships with other Transnet employees who are still at Transnet.

“H e m i g h t h a v e t h a t c l o s e r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h o t h e r e m p l o y e e s w h o a r e s t i l l a t Tr a n s n e t”

Images found on Tumelo Nku's phone included a computer screen with a Transnet logo matching a Yellow Jersey Logistics truck found at the crime scene in Aeroton.

“There were images discovered from Tumelo Nku's phone of a computer screen with a Transnet logo ... The details on the image were compared to the Yellow Jersey Logistics truck found on the crime scene at Aeroton”

The container referred to was still at the port in Durban on 2021-07-07 and was released and transported on 2021-07-08, the date Tumelo Nku traveled back to Gauteng from KwaZulu-Natal as confirmed by Transnet logos.

“The container was still at the port in Durban on 2021-07-07 and it was released and transported on 2021-07-08. We got this information from those pictures that had Transnet logos... It was released on the 8th, which is the date Tumelo Nku travelled back to Gauteng from KwaZulu-Natal.”

The computer screenshot indicating the shipment info comes from within Transnet and was forwarded to Alpha.

“I c a n e v e n m a y b e e x p l a i n t o t h e m . Th i s c o m p u t e r s c r e e n s h o t , C o m m i s s i o n e r s , i n d i c a t e s t h a t i t c o m e s f r o m t h e h a r b o u r i t s e l f . I t is a p r o p e r t y o f Tr a n s n e t , w h i c h m e a n s s o m e b o d y f r o m w i t h i n Tr a n s n e t c a p t u r e d t h i s s c r e e n s h o t , f o r w a r d e d i t t o t h i s p e r s o n . To A l p h a ?”

The decision of whether ships land at Pier 1 or Pier 2 is made within Transnet and can be manipulated to facilitate access to containers.

“It seems to suggest that someone within Transnet makes the decisions about where the ships should go. It is Pier 1 or Pier 2. And so is able to manipulate where it lands in order to facilitate the scheme of accessing the containers.”

The computer screenshot shows Transnet details and is linked to drug details found in Aeroton.

“we can see at the bottom there, it will also indicate Transnet ... the details on the computer is the details of this drug that is found in Aeroton”

The images and metadata from Mr Nku's phone include details correlating to the Aeroton drug bust, with truck tracking data showing movements from Durban to Johannesburg.

“this is what was found on Mr Nku's phone ... The headings say track and trace. I am assuming this is how Transnet tracks this truck from Durban to Johannesburg ... It has the details of the registration number, the time in, time out, and then it has details of where it stops and stuff like that”

There is an organized scheme involving people like Nku, Chief Mashaba, and others, monitoring containers, vessels, and jets, yet no prosecutions have occurred despite evidence from WhatsApp messages and other communications.

“there is organized conduct where containers, vessels and jets seem to be monitored... Nku and Alphas speak about... we have our guy there... is there a reason that there hasn't been any prosecutions of people that have been identified?”

People implicated in organized crime have been identified and linked through cellphone communications, but investigations have stopped or not progressed.

“people have been identified... through cell phones... screenshots taken from Transnet in KZN... investigation towards that, since then it has stopped”

Between late July and August 2021, Colonel Jacob prepared a PowerPoint presentation on the seizure of cocaine as instructed by General Senona, including gathering statements and relevant documents.

“Between late July 2021 and August 2021, I had prepared a PowerPoint presentation on the seizure of Cocaine... as per General Senona's instruction, I cannot recall when I had sent it to him. During the course of this investigation, I had obtained and filed seven statements, together with all relevant shipping documents, email correspondence with the DPP's office, photos of the container and exhibits, as well as numerous other Customs and Transnet documents.”

There is a container identification and management system involving electronic signals from Transnet that controls container movement, and suspects know how to manipulate this to steal drugs.

“For the container to move, an electronic signal must come from Transnet to release that container onto the ground. The machine comes, picks the container up. ... So we pick up their irregularities when an unauthorised move puts that from level two and three on the ground. If it has been moved to the ground without authorisation, rip-on-rip-off takes place. ... The suspects know that.”

Lt-Col Sebola interviewed a driver named Tumelo Nku who was involved in the scene in a private capacity and previously worked for Transnet; Nku knew Chief Traffic Mashaba and the information they were working on was his.

“Interviewed the driver of the silver grey Series BMW to whom I identified myself as Tumelo Nku . His explanation about his involvement was that he was there on his private capacity and further that he once worked for Transnet before ventured into business . And the person he knows on the scene was Chief Traffic Mashaba since he used to give you information on illegal cigarettes . Further indicated that the information they are working on was his .”

Mr Nku used to work at Transnet and had information about a truck due to Transnet's role in container transport from harbours, but the source of the informant's information was never interrogated in detail.

“Mr Mashaba explained to me that Mr Nku used to work at Transnet, so he still have information about Transnet matters... According to the information that was given to me ... I then assumed that he got it maybe through his source or in whatever way. ... I did not go deep into getting more information from Mr Nku as to how is he getting this information, because he was no longer working at Transnet.”

The Yellow Jersey Company is a logistics company contracted to Transnet to transport containers from the harbour to various places including Roodekop industrial area.

“Transnet, I meant the containers that comes, Yellow Jersey was contracted to transport containers from the harbour to various places. So that is Transnet Harbour.”