Hawks Officer Grilled Over Cop Controversies and Cash Laundering Links

Hawks Officer Details Visits to Convict-Businessman Timothy Marimuthu

During his testimony, Govender acknowledged knowing Marimuthu, noting that the businessman was involved in industries including the taxi sector, and that the two men had visited each other’s homes. However, Govender stated that he had not really socialized with Marimuthu, though he mentioned that his own children were very close to Marimuthu’s grandchildren.

According to Govender, provincial commander Brigadier Campbell Nyuswa instructed him from time to time to take senior officers to Marimuthu’s house because Marimuthu allegedly wanted to provide details about criminal activities and cases under investigation. Govender testified that he took Major General Gopaul Govender—who now heads the Hawks in Limpopo—and Warrant Officer Karl Sander to the residence. Govender recalled that one visit with Sander involved information about the location of stolen containers, although Sander already possessed similar details. Govender conceded during questioning that this type of information usually resided within organized crime circles.

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Marimuthu’s history includes a 1992 conviction for dealing in 3,390 Mandrax tablets, for which the Jali Commission previously found that sinister manoeuvrings ensured he escaped incarceration. Former police minister Bheki Cele previously told Parliament that Marimuthu appeared close to intelligence personnel and once organized a meeting between Cele and former Crime Intelligence head Richard Mdluli. Furthermore, a 2024 joint investigation by AmaBhungane and TimesLive described Marimuthu as an outed bogus Crime Intelligence agent who was a person of interest in a Hawks trafficking-for-sex investigation.

Scrutiny Over Cash Movements and Alleged Money Laundering

Govender’s confidence appeared to deflate when questioning turned to the origin of his finances between August 2022 and December 2023, a period during which he received more than R3-million in cash that he insisted were loans. Evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson scrutinized the funding for Govender’s 2023 purchase of a R2.35-million property in Sibaya, KwaZulu-Natal, which Govender explained was financed by a R1.4-million FNB bank loan alongside R950,000 from other sources, including R165,000 transferred from his son’s savings account.

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Additional cash transactions drew sharp skepticism from the commission. Govender testified that Josh Chelin, involved in the shipping industry who died in December last year, loaned him nearly R400,000 in cash so he could move out of his area. Chaskalson countered that Chelin had actually paid over R1.5-million in cash to Govender. Govender also testified that his mother-in-law gave him around R300,000 in cash on a single day, which he deposited via an ATM in R10,000 increments because she had kept cash on her since her husband’s death. Commission chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga expressed doubt, stating that there was more than meets the eye, while Chaskalson remarked that the transactions had all the hallmarks of a money-laundering exercise.

Pressure Claims and Denials of Involvement in Shootouts

The inquiry also touched on previous allegations surrounding provincial police leadership and deadly incidents. Govender elaborated on pressure he felt to discredit KwaZulu-Natal police boss Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, alleging that sidelined police minister Senzo Mchunu instructed him to implicate Mkhwanazi in relation to 172 police shootings following a meeting on 21 August 2026. Brief footage of Govender meeting Mchunu’s acquaintance, Mavuso Ntandane, was screened at the commission.

Separately, Len John, KwaZulu-Natal’s deputy director for investigations with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, previously testified that crooks had infiltrated Govender’s police team. John alleged a prima facie case that Govender deployed his task team to kill tow truck operator Bevan Loftus in 2023 on behalf of Clive Naicker, who allegedly promised Govender R2.5-million. Gregory Loftus, the victim’s father, had previously testified that Govender’s officers murdered his son a day after an interdict was issued to stop it. Govender denied any involvement in the killing or receiving payment from Naicker, declaring the claims definitely not true.

What May Happen Next at the Inquiry

More witnesses are expected to testify before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.