The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has heard a disturbing account of alleged police misconduct in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) revealing that it had investigated more than 300 cases involving police task teams between April 2023 and May 2026.
Len John, Deputy Director for Investigations at IPID in the province, told the Commission on Wednesday that 77 of those cases involved the deaths of 149 people as a result of police action by task teams.
John said IPID had noted a surge in what it described as extra-judicial killings since 2023.
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“Since 2023, there has been a surge in extra-judicial killings which IPID has noted with great concern,” John said.
He told the Commission that law-enforcement accounts of fatal shootings frequently stated that suspects had been shot after opening fire on police. However, he said IPID investigations had in some cases produced findings that contradicted those accounts.
John told the commission:
“The police go and just shoot everyone because they claim they came under fire. The police are not conducting proper investigations to arrest the suspects.”
Were people killed during police operations lawfully shot?
John said some of the cases raised questions about whether people killed during police operations had been lawfully shot.
He indicated that IPID’s investigations included examining firearms allegedly recovered at scenes and reconstructing what had happened before and during shootings.
The issue of scene reconstruction was also raised by Commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, who questioned how investigators established whether a deceased suspect had been the initial aggressor.
John indicated that a comprehensive reconstruction of a crime scene could provide evidence to establish what had happened.
Evidence leader Advocate Matthew Chaskalson questioned whether IPID had conducted statistical analysis of information relating to deceased people who were not linked to particular dockets.
John said the dockets reviewed by IPID did not establish a connection between the deceased and the relevant dockets in 77 instances.
He further indicated that the majority of those cases involved unidentified people.
Allegations concerning tow-truck industry
The testimony then broadened beyond police shootings to allegations concerning the tow-truck industry.
John alleged that some police officers had links to tow-truck operators and that station-level police sometimes directed accident-recovery work to preferred operators.
He described the relationship as one involving officers giving work to their friends, with certain police officers allegedly having preferred tow-truck businesses when accidents occurred.
John also alleged that tow trucks were being used to transport drugs, raising questions about possible links between sections of the police, the towing industry and organised criminal activity.
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The Commission also heard allegations from John concerning possible links between competing taxi owners and police task teams.
Commissioner Sesi Baloyi, however, pressed John on the evidential basis for a possible connection between competing taxi owners and the task force, saying the allegation needed to be corroborated and that any theory should be clearly identified as such.
The testimony comes against the backdrop of the high-profile investigation into the alleged assassination of KwaZulu-Natal businessman, Thabiso Ngcobo in June 2024.
- The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) investigated over 300 cases involving police task teams in KwaZulu-Natal between April 2023 and May 2026, with 77 cases involving the deaths of 149 people due to police action.
- IPID noted a surge in extra-judicial killings since 2023 and found discrepancies in police accounts claiming suspects fired first during fatal shootings.
- Some cases reviewed by IPID questioned whether killings during police operations were lawful, with investigations including firearm recovery and crime scene reconstructions.
- Allegations were made that some police officers have links to tow-truck operators and may direct accident-recovery work to preferred businesses, with tow trucks allegedly used for drug transportation.
- Additional allegations concerned possible links between competing taxi owners and police task teams, though the evidential basis for this has been challenged and requires corroboration.
Len John, Deputy Director for Investigations at IPID in the province, told the Commission on Wednesday that 77 of those cases involved the deaths of 149 people as a result of police action by task teams.
John said IPID had noted a surge in what it described as extra-judicial killings since 2023.
Also Read: Fadiel Adams’ laptop explanation fails to convince
"Since 2023, there has been a surge in extra-judicial killings which IPID has noted with great concern," John said.
He told the Commission that law-enforcement accounts of fatal shootings frequently stated that suspects had been shot after opening fire on police. However, he said IPID investigations had in some cases produced findings that contradicted those accounts.
John told the commission:
"
police go and just shoot everyone because they claim they came under fire. The police are not conducting proper investigations to arrest the suspects." The
John said some of the cases raised questions about whether people killed during police operations had been lawfully shot.
He indicated that IPID's investigations included examining firearms allegedly recovered at scenes and reconstructing what had happened before and during shootings.
John indicated that a comprehensive reconstruction of a crime scene could provide evidence to establish what had happened.
Evidence leader Advocate
John said the dockets reviewed by IPID did not establish a connection between the deceased and the relevant dockets in 77 instances.
He further indicated that the majority of those cases involved unidentified people.
John alleged that some police officers had links to tow-truck operators and that station-level police sometimes directed accident-recovery work to preferred operators.
He described the relationship as one involving officers giving work to their friends, with certain police officers allegedly having preferred tow-truck businesses when accidents occurred.
John also alleged that tow trucks were being used to transport drugs, raising questions about possible links between sections of the police, the towing industry and organised criminal activity.
Also Read: IPID director reveals why statement of key witness in 751kg drug bust wasn't taken
Commissioner Sesi Baloyi, however, pressed John on the evidential basis for a possible connection between competing taxi owners and the task force, saying the allegation needed to be corroborated and that any theory should be clearly identified as such.
