‘Drug syndicates need dirty cops’ KZN Hawks testimony at Madlanga inquiry

Warrant Officer Karl Sander of the KwaZulu-Natal Hawks told the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Monday that he was removed from the narcotics unit after disrupting drug dealing and stepping on the toes of officials linked to syndicates.

Allegations of collusion

Sander said that for an organised drug supply chain to operate properly it required collusion from corrupt officials. “For the supply chain to work correctly you need a corrupt policeman. You need a corrupt customs official; you need a corrupt policeman – then your system flows,” he told the commission.

Transfer and investigation

The commission heard that Sander was transferred from the KZN Hawks narcotics unit to provincial support services on 13 February 2024, pending a corruption investigation linked to drug dealing. He said KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Major-General Lesetja Senona served him a letter stating a complaint had been lodged against him, but that he had not been informed in writing about the specific allegations.

“I was told that an email had been sent to the national head office – that I was accused of supplying or facilitating supply of narcotics to Florida Road nightclub syndicates,”

Sander denied the corruption allegation and told the commission he would not sell drugs.

“If I were corrupt I would sell guns instead because ‘my expertise is guns’,”

he said.

Outcome not formally communicated

He told the commission he never officially received the outcome of the investigation. He said he was told unofficially that the inquiry closed within four days and that the matter was handed to Hawks members from Port Shepstone.

Despite being moved to provincial support services, Sander said his post never changed on the system; he continued to go to his former office and retained the same title.

Administrative matters and response

When asked about his work at support services, Sander described the experience as difficult but praised colleagues. He said a financial vetting exercise for a post he had applied for showed he was a director of a shooting club. He explained the shooting club’s bank account was preserved to prevent fraud and that a non-profit company had been registered for that purpose.

He also told the commission he faced an internal charge for registering a company without informing the police of his interest. The outcome of that charge, he said, was a verbal warning.

Why he was moved, he said

Sander told the commission he believed his removal from the narcotics unit was because he had interfered with the drug supply chain.

“In short – I am just going to say – maybe I became a thorn in their side because I was interfering with their supply chain,”

he said.

Sander’s testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry continues.