Durban — Disturbing allegations that rogue police officers in KwaZulu‑Natal have been operating as organised "hit squads", colluding with tow‑truck traffickers and facilitating extrajudicial killings emerged at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday.
Allegations and modus operandi
Len John, the deputy director for investigations at the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) in KwaZulu‑Natal, gave his first witness statement to the commission on 12 August 2026. He described a pattern of behaviour by certain police task teams that, he said, pointed to systematic and targeted violence.
"They cover their faces, prey on their targets between 11pm and 3am and ensure all witnesses to their actions are killed,"
According to John, these operations were linked to units set up to tackle cash‑in‑transit (CIT) robberies, illicit drugs and disputes within the taxi industry. He said the task teams were commanded by South African Police Service officers Lieutenant Colonel Deendayalan (Deena) Govender, Colonel Mbongeni Khalishwayo and Captain Pedro Rodrigues.
Scale of investigations and deaths
John told the commission that Ipid had investigated more than 300 cases between 1 April 2023 and 31 May 2026. He said that of those cases, 77 involved the deaths of 149 people allegedly at the hands of police task teams.
| Timeframe | Ipid investigations | Cases with deaths | People killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr 2023–31 May 2026 | 300+ | 77 | 149 |
Patterns that alarm investigators
John told commissioners that in many of the incidents only a few firearms were recovered at scenes where multiple people had been killed. He raised concern about the speed with which dockets were closed after deaths, and he questioned investigative links made by task teams between the deceased and ongoing criminal dockets without further forensic work.
He also flagged alleged links between police and tow‑truck operators involved in turf wars and the illicit drug trade, saying that the collusion extended beyond spontaneous contact and suggested organised criminal cooperation.
- Operating hours: incidents often occurred late at night, between 23:00 and 03:00.
- Concealment: perpetrators reportedly covered their faces to hide identities.
- Witness elimination: witnesses to incidents were frequently killed, John said.
Broader probe and related resignations
The testimony formed part of an Idac (Investigative Directorate Against Corruption) evidence thread at the commission that has already produced fallout. The Idac matters were among those that led to the resignation of the directorate’s head, Andrea Johnson, amid allegations of improper conduct by some staff.
John emphasised that the commission’s terms of reference and the strands of evidence presented so far were interlinked: the alleged infiltration of policing units, collusion with criminal networks and irregularities within anti‑corruption structures all point to a broader assault on accountability in the criminal justice system, he said.
What the testimony means for KZN communities
For communities in Durban, Pietermaritzburg and along the coast, the Ipid allegations raise urgent questions about the integrity of policing and the protection afforded to citizens. The suggestion that some police units might act as de facto enforcement arms for criminal interests undermines trust and complicates efforts to tackle violent crime.
Members of the public who have concerns about specific incidents can lodge complaints with Ipid, which remains the statutory body mandated to investigate deaths, serious injuries and allegations of criminality involving police.
Next steps at the commission
The Madlanga Commission continues to hear testimony and sift evidence across multiple strands, including claims of corruption, collusion and organised infiltration of justice institutions. John’s testimony adds a detailed operational account to the record and is likely to prompt further lines of inquiry into the command and control of the task teams he named.
The commission will determine whether its findings point to systemic failures that require criminal investigations, institutional reform or policy changes to restore public confidence in policing across KwaZulu‑Natal.
Priya Govender is the KwaZulu‑Natal correspondent reporting from Durban.
