By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry focused on the hit squads operating in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and consisting of members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) who commit extra-judicial killings.
The ‘hit squads’ target suspects in Cash-In-Transit (CIT) robberies, as well as taxi operators and drug syndicates under the guise of a Task Team.
These were under the command of South African Police Service (SAPS) officers Lieutenant Colonel Deendayalan (Deena) Govender, Colonel Mbongeni Khalishwayo and Captain Pedro Rodrigues.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) investigator Len Barnabas John was the first witness in this new theme.
During his testimony, John appeared calm and, at times, adamant, occasionally pausing as he deliberated on how to explain certain matters when evidence leaders pressed him for more details.
He was asked several questions, especially about how he came to certain conclusions about police activity.
John focused largely on the cash-in-transit team that Govender headed and which John believed criminals had infiltrated.
He explained that he had been told the Madlanga Commission’s terms of reference did not extend to investigations into extrajudicial killings by police officers, referring to investigations into alleged police activities “in an environment where a task team of the SAPS is apparently able to escape accountability despite evidence of its repeated involvement in extrajudicial killings of alleged criminals”.
He added: “There is a heightened risk that criminal syndicates will seek corruptly to influence that task team to kill their rivals.”
“There is clear evidence that this risk has materialised in KwaZulu-Natal.”
“Between 1 April 2023 and 31 May 2026, Ipid investigated over 300 cases, of which 77 cases involve the death of 149 people as a result of police action by the task teams.”
John testified that in most shootings involving cash-in-transit suspects, the task team under Govender’s command was involved.
He said in most cases involving alleged cash-in-transit suspects being killed by police officers, “all suspects and occupants present when the shooting takes place are killed by the task team, leaving no witnesses to the operation other than the members of the task team itself”.
John said that “no high-calibre rifles, explosives, components to manufacture explosives or money” were found.
His testimony expanded into the tow truck industry.
He explained that “certain police officers at station level” were connected to tow truck operators.
John presented the commission with automatic vehicle location (AVL) records showing that Govender’s official BMW was parked about 30 metres from the home of tow-truck and panel-beating businessman, Clive Naicker, on 16 August 2022.
He testified there is a prima facie case that alleged drug and tow truck gang leader Naiker used Governder’s task team to kill rival Bevan Loftus. John also noted tow truck drivers have been killed—in cases linked to the drug trade.