Witness

Major General Lesetja Senona

Provincial Head, KZN Hawks (DPCI) · KwaZulu-Natal

Testified · suspended

The provincial head of the KZN Hawks who personally directed that the seized cocaine be stored at the Port Shepstone office. He conceded he was never polygraphed himself after the theft - unlike the junior officers - and was the officer who ordered Warrant Officer Sander polygraphed over a stolen coffee machine. He has since been suspended.

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KZN HawksLeadershipPolygraphSuspended

This profile summarises testimony and evidence given on the public record before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. It restates allegations as presented at the hearings and is not a finding of guilt, liability, or wrongdoing by any person.

Major General Lesetja Senona · Testified · suspended

Their role

What the record says

Directed the storage decision

Consulted by Brigadier Nyuswa, Senona directed that the consignment be taken to the Port Shepstone Hawks office rather than a forensic laboratory.

Never polygraphed himself

Senona conceded he was never subjected to a polygraph after the theft, despite directing where the drugs were stored. Maj-Gen Hendrik Flynn testified that he should have been.

Ordered the coffee-machine polygraph

He was the officer who ordered Warrant Officer Sander polygraphed over the theft of Sander's own coffee machine from the DPCI offices.

Control of the keys

Testimony indicates Senona assumed control of the storage keys when the drugs were booked in as exhibits - a step described as inconsistent with standard procedure.

Suspension and a delayed return

Senona has been suspended as head of the KZN Hawks. His substantive testimony was a three-day stint on 27-29 January 2026; he appeared again on 1 June 2026 only to resolve scheduling and legal friction, and his rescheduled 5 June testimony was postponed after evidence leader Adv Mahlape Sello told the commission his attorney had fallen seriously ill.

On the stand