SC0016
KZN DPCI evidence tampering and Matlala intelligence pipeline
Maj-Gen Senona held safe keys to control evidence; directed subordinates to move exhibits; shared SAPS documents with Matlala and Mkhwanazi. Cross-witness threatening messages received about commission testimony. Connected to the Big Five Cartel. Distinct from SC0011 (cocaine exhibit theft): evidence control and intelligence pipeline, not physical theft.
14 events6 contradictions
People in this scheme
Timeline of events
◆
August 2020
Maj-Gen Senona agreed to store large quantities of seized cocaine at the Port Shepstone DPCI strong room after the forensic lab lacked storage. He inspected the premises and took possession of the safe keys.
inspected location: I did went and have a look at the storage facility that he, the strong safe and then I saw it, it is appropriate to store that volume.
emotional state about storage: I was comfortable and happy that this is a safe place to store these drugs.
★
1 August 2020
Maj-Gen Senona was appointed as Provincial Head of DPCI KwaZulu-Natal, effective 1 August 2020, and physically assumed post in September 2020.
appointment date: in 2020, Commissioners, I was appointed to the rank of a Maj-Gen at the DPCI KwaZulu-Natal.
assumed position date: I reported on the 1s t of, oh, in September, 1s t or 2n d of September
●
23 June 2024
Maj-Gen Senona instructed Brigadier Nyuswa to inform Colonel Prinsloo that Mpangase would go to the strong room to take drug samples.
action taken: I said General Senona is the person that moved me.
action taken: On 22nd of April 2026, General Flynn was at my office conducting inspections on all our cases on hand.
◎
2024-12-28 – 2024-12-30
Maj-Gen Senona met with Cat Matlala during this period.
met with: we never met when I came to Pretoria
met with: we never actually met so that he can be able to tell me
↓
31 January 2025
Maj-Gen Senona's laptop was taken by SAPS as part of investigation.
action taken: I approached the provincial Commissioner with an operational plan in order to address that.
action taken: On the 31st of January, my laptop and everything
◆
5 March 2025
After becoming aware of the Hawks investigation into Matlala and reading a News24 article, Maj-Gen Senona decided to slowly distance himself from Mr Matlala.
decision: So, gradually I decided to not interact with him as previously we did.
decision: I decided to gradually start to reverse in terms of our, if I may use that word, relationship.
●
5 March 2025
Maj-Gen Senona forwarded a News24 article about General Mkhwanazi not being interested in the head of Hawks position to Mr Matlala, characterizing it as friends sharing news.
action confirmed: Yes.
sharing reason for article: It is randomly sharing.
◎
9 April 2025
Maj-Gen Senona met Mr Matlala at Emperor's Palace; they went to a room and slept.
presence at location: I was in Emperor's Palace
activity after event: After we worked, I went to the room and then we slept.
●
13 April 2025
Maj-Gen Senona forwarded a copy of the Nangy affidavit (a police document) to Mr Matlala to warn him that a person arrested for kidnapping and extortion lived in the same complex.
action before sending: you forwarded it without looking at all of that
admission of error: it was an error that I only read the affidavit and sent it
●
13 April 2025
While meeting with Matlala, Maj-Gen Senona received three documents from him but claimed he did not open or read them.
received documents count: three documents that were sent immediately all at exactly the same time, simultaneously
received documents timing: That was sent to you while you were meeting
◎
15 April 2025
Maj-Gen Senona accompanied Mr Matlala to a meeting at Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi's house. Topics included purchase orders, Nengi, and concerns about Matlala's directorship. Senona was present but moved between kitchen and lounge.
accompanied: on the 15th of April 2025, I accompanied Mr Matlala to a meeting held between himself and Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi
stated ability to deny: You cannot deny that there was a conversation about Mr Nengi in this meeting on 15 April, right?
●
26 November 2025
Maj-Gen Senona received a threatening WhatsApp message from Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi, which he described as intimidating and unbecoming.
received threatening whatsapp from: I received a series of threatening WhatsApp from Lt -Gen Mkhwanazi
said date: Friday the 23rd – sorry, sorry.
◆
23 January 2026
Maj-Gen Senona received a notice of temporary transfer and a notice of alleged misconduct regarding allegations made against him.
received: I received a notice of temporary transfer and a notice of alleged misconduct regarding the allegations that were made against me before this Commission
received date: I received the letter of intended transfer on the 23rd of January 2026.
✗
undated
Unknown perpetrators broke into the secure strong room at Port Shepstone DPCI offices over a weekend and stole cocaine exhibits. The safe was cut with special tools and drugs removed.
description of hand insertion: they put a hand
statement about theft timing: it was over a weekend
Contradictions linked to this scheme
● Certain — deterministic
Maj-Gen Senona — assumed position date
Value 1
2020-09-01Value 2
2020-08-01◎ Likely — AI-assisted, cited
Maj-Gen Senona — (cross-phrasing)
Two distinct dates given for assuming the same position: 1 Sept vs 1 Aug 2020; cannot both be true.
◎ Likely — AI-assisted, cited
Maj-Gen Senona — (cross-phrasing)
A claims sharing was random; B explicitly denies a random send as untrue and improbable—directly contradictory.
◎ Likely — AI-assisted, cited
Maj-Gen Senona — sharing reason for article
Value 1
Matlala admired our coordination and successesValue 2
Matlala admired our coordination and successes with General Mkhwanazi◎ Likely — AI-assisted, cited
Maj-Gen Senona — (cross-phrasing)
A claims they meet when in Pretoria; B claims they never met when he came to Pretoria—directly contradictory.
◎ Likely — AI-assisted, cited
Maj-Gen Senona — (cross-phrasing)
Decision to terminate communication contradicts claim that communication continued unabated.