Madlanga Commission: Officer Admits Cocaine Bust Was Botched, Drugs Then Vanish

Warrant Officer Bongelene Mpangase testified at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry about a 2021 cocaine seizure operation that unraveled under cross-examination — admitting there was no plan, no proper scene management, and conceding he may have recorded a false account of who was present. The seized cocaine later disappeared from police storage. THE KEY MOMENTS FROM MPANGASE'S TESTIMONY: No Plan, No Protocol: Mpangase admitted the operation had no prior planning, no discussion of exhibit handling, and involved officers with limited experience in operations of this scale. Inside the Container: Officers uncovered 27 bags of suspected cocaine — 20 to 21 bricks per bag — hidden behind the doors of a sealed container at Isipingo. A Disputed Account: Mpangase insisted three officials witnessed the container being opened, but their own statements say they only arrived later to help with transport — prompting the Commission to suggest he may have recorded a falsehood to make the operation appear more legitimate. "That Would Mean That Is a Fact": Confronted with Brigadier Ncube's statement contradicting his own denial, Mpangase reversed himself, conceding the contact took place. The Exhibits Vanish: After the drugs were moved between three separate storage sites due to space issues, Mpangase testified he was "shocked and surprised" to later learn the cocaine had been stolen from Port Shepstone police storage. Covert or Overt? Mpangase struggled to explain the operation's classification, eventually agreeing the crime scene "was not handled properly." Subscribe to IOL for daily coverage of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. #MadlangaCommission #Mpangase #DPCI