Gauteng Traffic Police Chief Samuel Mashaba has conceded before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that he was referring to former Deputy President David “DD” Mabuza in a conversation with alleged informer Tumelo Nku.
A text message sent by Mashaba to Nku on the day Mabuza was reappointed as deputy president in May 2019 reads: “I see DD is back, let’s move on our issues.”
He had previously testified that the “DD” referred to in the message was former National Assembly member Kebby Maphatsoe, who has since passed away.
However, under questioning from Commission Chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, Mashaba conceded that the message was in fact referring to Mabuza, who died last year.
Madlanga says, “We are not forcing you to accept because you say you will now accept, but you go on to suggest that you are referring to something else. So please answer the way you feel you should answer it. You are not being pushed or forced to answer it in any particular way.
Mashaba responded by saying, “My apologies, I accept.”
AEROTON DRUG SCENE PHOTOGRAPHS
The inquiry also presented photographs appearing to show wrapped packages found at the Aeroton drug scene in 2021 on Nku’s phone.
The photographs, which appear to have been taken from inside a truck, are dated July 7, 2021, two days before the drug bust where police seized 700kg of drugs.
Mashaba previously testified that he was tipped off by Nku about the truck allegedly carrying the R300 million cocaine consignment travelling from Durban to Johannesburg.
He told Commissioner Sesi Baloyi that the wrapping in the photographs looked similar to that of the packages he saw when the container was opened.
Baloyi asked, “Which was my question, whether, when they fell out of the container, when you first saw them, did they have this kind of wrapping that you see at page 51?”
Mashaba confirmed, “Yes, they were. Yes, they were wrapped. They had that wrapping.”
