Major-General Lesetja Senona has resigned as the KwaZulu-Natal head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), bringing an abrupt end to his tenure while he remained embroiled in allegations before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System, commonly known as the Madlanga Commission. His resignation took effect immediately on Friday.
Senona is a veteran police officer who joined the South African Police Service (SAPS) in 1985 and rose through the ranks before being appointed provincial head of the Hawks in KwaZulu-Natal in 2020. During his leadership, the elite crime-fighting unit investigated several high-profile organised crime and corruption matters.
His tenure, however, came under intense scrutiny after he was called to testify before the Madlanga Commission earlier this year.
In January, Senona appeared before the commission, where he faced extensive questioning about his relationship with alleged crime figure Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala, as well as WhatsApp messages that allegedly showed communication between the pair. He denied wrongdoing and insisted their relationship was personal rather than criminal, rejecting allegations that he had shared confidential police information or improperly assisted Matlala.
The commission also heard allegations linking Senona to the disappearance of approximately 541 kilograms of cocaine from a Hawks storage facility in Port Shepstone in 2021. Witnesses alleged there were irregularities under his command and questioned security failures surrounding the drug evidence. Senona has consistently denied any involvement in the disappearance and has maintained that he committed no misconduct.
Following damaging evidence before the commission, Senona was suspended from his position pending investigations. During his later testimony, he alleged that his suspension had been carried out unfairly and claimed he was removed from his office at gunpoint, allegations that formed part of his evidence before the commission. He also complained that the inquiry had treated him unfairly and suggested he had not been given adequate opportunity to respond to allegations before they were aired publicly.
After his suspension, Senona was expected to return to the Madlanga Commission for further oral testimony. He initially sought to postpone his appearance, requesting additional time to prepare his witness statement after he was due to testify. Commission chairperson Mbuyiseli Madlanga directed him to file his statement and ordered him to return on a specified date to continue giving evidence.
Senona eventually returned to the witness stand, where he again denied allegations that he had any role in the missing cocaine, denied links to organised crime syndicates and maintained his innocence throughout often tense cross-examination. He also expressed concern about the impact the proceedings had had on his family and personal safety.
His resignation now leaves the Hawks in KwaZulu-Natal without a permanent provincial head at a time when the Madlanga Commission continues investigating allegations of corruption, political interference and organised crime infiltration within South Africa’s criminal justice system.
It remains unclear whether Senona’s resignation will affect any ongoing disciplinary processes or investigations arising from the commission’s proceedings.
To date, Senona has not been criminally convicted in relation to any of the allegations aired before the commission and has repeatedly denied all claims of wrongdoing.
