How top Hawks official made 37 deposits of R10k each at an ATM

The head of the Hawks tracing task team in KwaZulu-Natal − a unit that has been accused of carrying out 172 extra-judicial killings in the province − allegedly made 37 deposits of R10,000 each at a time into his home loan account within an hour on the night of August 31 2022.

This was revealed at the Madlanga commission when Lt-Col Deenadayalan “Deena” Govender took the stand on Monday. Govender faced tough questions at the commission regarding payments totalling over R3m that went into his account between April 2022 and August 2023.

Govender said he could not remember the source of some of the payments.

Regarding the source of the 37 deposits of R10,000 each, Govender said he had received the money from his mother-in-law, who was assisting him in purchasing a property.

He said his mother-in-law gave him the cash in the afternoon, and he went to an ATM to transfer the money.

“Commissioner, when you go to an ATM, it [only] takes R10,000 at a time, and you will have to deposit one after the other,” he said. “It was after hours, and I thought it would be easy [this way].”

Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga told him that he wouldn’t say it was an easy way and that he wouldn’t do it if it were him.

Commissioner Adv Sandile Khumalo told Govender that his reason did not make sense, as it was unsafe to carry such a large amount and make numerous deposits. “It smells of money laundering,” he said.

Another transaction that Govender had difficulty explaining was the source of R298,462 that he received in April 2023.

Govender said he had received it as a “loan” in cash from the late Josh Chelin [whom he considered a father]. He [Govender] then gave the money to his accountant, Kassie Shamal, who later arranged for it to be transferred into Govender’s home loan account.

Govender was then asked why he would opt for this method and why he didn’t send the money directly to his account.

He said that the method seemed simple and he was trying to cut costs.

Madlanga then told him that the matter was more complicated. “What you are saying is absolutely nonsensical,” he said.

Evidence leader Adv Matthew Chaskalson said the manner in which the deposit was made “has the hallmarks of money laundering”.

Chaskalson said the amount of money deposited into Govender’s account was over R3m, and over R2m came from people who were deceased and could not contradict or corroborate Govender’s version.

“And I must indicate to you,” he said, “this is the problem that we tend to encounter at this commission: that when there are awkward questions asked, we are often told that the only person who can corroborate is someone who is no longer alive.”

Govender is alleged to have received over R2m from alleged drug dealer Clive Naicker for the killing of Bevan Loftus, a Durban-based tow-truck operator and alleged gang member.

The allegations were made by Loftus’s father when he appeared at the commission. However, Govender denied the allegations.

It has been alleged that Naicker and Loftus were competitors in the drug and towing business.

Evidence before the commission on Monday revealed that in November 2022, Govender had identified Loftus as the suspect. It was not stated what he had been accused of.

However, the following month in December, Govender and his team allegedly barged into Loftus’s home without a search and seizure warrant or a warrant of arrest.

Explaining the reason they showed up at Loftus’s home without a warrant, Govender said Loftus was not a white-collar thief but a violent criminal, and there had not been time to get one.

A year later, in April 2023, Loftus was killed during a police operation.

Govender told the commission that he could not recall whether he called Naicker on the day Loftus was killed.