Suspended police official Fannie Nkosi is at the centre of a plan to sell sophisticated cellphone surveillance technology to the Kingdom of eSwatini, according to evidence presented before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
On Tuesday, the commission focused on WhatsApp conversations of the late taxi boss Jotham “Mswazi” Msibi who was allegedly involved in presenting the deal to Czech authorities as a South African Police Service (SAPS) operation.
Chief Evidence Leader Advocate Matthew Chaskalson made the disclosure while reading WhatsApp conversations where Msibi, Nkosi, Steve Motsumi and Katiso ‘KT’ Molefe were seemingly pushing for the deal.
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At the centre of the correspondence is a grabber – an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) catcher capable of making mobile phones believe they are connecting to a nearby cellphone tower while intercepting the communications it transmits.
Chaskalson said the evidence pointed to an attempt to obtain the device from the Czech government under false pretences.
“What will emerge is that Mr. Msibi, Sergeant Nkosi and quite possibly Mr. Motsumi and Mr. Molefe have a plan to sell grabber technology to the Kingdom of eSwatini,” said Chaskalson.
“Of course, that is not what the Czech Republic has been told at all. The Czech Republic has been told that this is a demonstration for the South African Police Service.”
The Commission heard that a draft letter intended for the Czech Ministry in South Africa was sent to Nkosi with a request that it be transferred onto official SAPS letterhead to formalise it and keep it confidential.
Czech company, Invasys was identified as the supplier of the surveillance equipment; however, the supplier stated that it does not sell to individuals or businesses.
Before Nkosi travelled to the kingdom of eSwatini he allegedly added the SAPS letterhead, stamp and signed the letter that was meant to be sent to the Czech Republic.
Chaskalson said the messages suggested that a meeting involving the King of eSwatini and an elder was being arranged.
The evidence leader said the use of SAPS letterheads and representations to foreign governments could potentially amount to fraud.
Nkosi was arrested in April 2026 after a raid at his Pretoria North home uncovered explosives, ammunition, cash, and sensitive police case dockets.
Although the proposed eSwatini deal did not materialise, Chaskalson said the group appeared to be exploring other avenues.
“They didn’t manage in the first case to sell to the eSwatini government, but they may well have managed in this instance; we don’t know,” he said.
The evidence also revealed that the quotation for surveillance equipment was about R19 million. The equipment included a multi-radio access technology system or grabber and a tactical digital jammer capable of blocking communications.
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The quotation was sent to Themy Style, a company Chaskalson said appeared to be operated by Motsumi and Molefe.
A Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) report presented to the commission described the company as being involved in security services, client protection and technical surveillance consulting.
Chaskalson said the individuals were dealing with foreign companies to obtain the technology while allegedly representing themselves as acting for the state.
“These men are dealing with foreign companies to get access to grabber technology purporting to represent the state,” he said.
He described the technology as highly sensitive.
“This is the sort of technology that should be in the hands of intelligence agencies, who should use it under constrained and very strict regulations,” Chaskalson said.
The evidence prompted questions from Commissioner Sandile Khumalo about whether private security companies could legally possess or operate jamming equipment.
Khumalo asked whether Crime Intelligence could provide an affidavit setting out the legal framework governing the use of jammers and whether private security firms were authorised to operate them.
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- Suspended police official Fannie Nkosi is implicated in a scheme to sell sophisticated cellphone surveillance technology, including IMSI catchers or grabbers, to the Kingdom of eSwatini.
- WhatsApp messages revealed late taxi boss Jotham "Mswazi" Msibi, Nkosi, Steve Motsumi, and Katiso 'KT' Molefe attempting to present the deal to Czech authorities as a South African Police Service (SAPS) operation.
- A draft letter for the Czech Ministry was sent to Nkosi to be formalised with SAPS letterhead, stamp, and signature, allegedly without proper authorisation, which could amount to fraud.
- The surveillance equipment quotation was approximately R19 million and included a grabber and a tactical digital jammer, with the transaction apparently conducted through a company called Themy Style operated by Motsumi and Molefe.
- Nkosi was arrested in April 2026 after a raid found explosives, ammunition, cash, and sensitive police case dockets; although the eSwatini deal failed, the group might have pursued other avenues for the sale.
