Tumelo Nku tells Madlanga Commission he was paid by foreign intelligence agencies, not local ones

Businessman Tumelo Nku told the Madlanga Commission on Thursday that he has undertaken consultation work for foreign intelligence agencies and received payments for that work, but has not been paid by or formally registered with any domestic intelligence agency.

Who Nku says he is and what he told the commission

Nku described himself as an entrepreneur with skills in data analysis, “ethical hacking”, consignment and inventory management, and conducting cyber-penetration testing and research for various organisations. He told the commission he had frequently undertaken cyber-intelligence consultations and provided both offensive and defensive cybersecurity solutions, including real-time tracking of information in support of law enforcement investigations.

Payments and relationships with intelligence agencies

When commissioners asked about his relationship with law enforcement, Nku said he has been paid by intelligence agencies abroad for consultation work. He said he has never received any payments from domestic intelligence agencies and that he has never been registered as an informant by the country’s law enforcement agencies. He added that he was still building rapport with law enforcement agencies.

Role in the Aeroton drug bust and travel to Durban

The commission subpoenaed Nku to explain his role at the scene of the R300 million Aeroton drug bust in 2021 in Johannesburg. Evidence shown at the commission indicated that Nku supplied information about a truck carrying drugs to Chief Samuel Mashaba and that he had travelled to Durban and tailed the truck from Durban to Johannesburg.

Arrest at the scene and cash found in his car

Nku was arrested at the Aeroton scene alongside Samuel Mashaba, Warrant Officer Steve Phakula and Warrant Officer Marumo Magane. He was found in possession of cash in his car; the source reports the amount as R60,000 found at the scene, while Nku said he had approximately R64,000 to R65,000 for hotel bookings, tolls and petrol.

The commission’s Chairperson, Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, asked Nku:

“What did you expect to happen that necessitated you to carry cash?”

Madlanga also asked:

“Why must you carry R64,000 to R65,000? Why could you not have used your cards for that?”

Nku replied that the cash was petty cash for his company that he intended to deposit and that he had not used his bank cards because he wanted to be as discreet as possible. The commissioners were not convinced by that explanation.

Who received information and payment expectations

Nku told the commission he did not expect to be paid for the information he offered about the Aeroton operation. Among the people he supplied information to were the late Lieutenant-General Sindile Mfazi and Samuel Mashaba. He said he had shared information with Mfazi on one occasion only.

The testimony continues.