Colonel Gavin Jacob told the Madlanga Commission he would bear some responsibility for the theft of 541kg of cocaine but denied any criminal involvement. The commission questioned his decisions on storage that led to the drugs being placed in an unsecured facility.
Colonel Gavin Jacob, commander of Durban’s Serious Organised Crime Investigation Unit, testified on 4 June 2026 that he accepted partial blame for the loss of cocaine worth R200 million. He maintained he was not involved in the theft itself from the Hawks building in Port Shepstone. The 541kg consignment was intercepted in Isipingo in June 2021 and later moved to the Port Shepstone facility. Jacob said he had exhausted storage options in Durban due to space constraints at other stations and the forensic laboratory. Commission chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga and evidence leader Adv Mahlape Sello SC challenged this account. They noted that alternatives existed and that Jacob had not contacted all possible locations before recommending the Port Shepstone site. Jacob conceded that his statement to a senior colleague about having exhausted all avenues was factually incorrect. He disputed the description of it as a lie. The hearings continue with a new witness expected on 5 June.
