The Madlanga Commission on 13 November 2026 heard testimony from retired Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) Constable Michael Potsane alleging that former Superintendent Phineas Manyama instructed officers to interfere with a July 2025 drug bust by negotiating to release suspects in exchange for bribes.
Potsane, a member of the JMPD Tactical Response Unit, told the commission that Manyama ordered officers not to handle drug operations without his involvement. During a meeting on 25 July 2025, Manyama allegedly told them to “negotiate with the person to release the suspects, seize cocaine and to accept money or whatever is offered in exchange.” Potsane understood this as a directive to take bribes.
“Superintendent Mayama said that we could discuss the matter as officers, and accept whatever they were offering us. I understood him to mean that we should accept the bribes,” Potsane testified according to reports by Jacaranda FM.
He further stated that he rejected the instructions, considering them inappropriate and an interference with his official duties. Refusal to comply, Potsane added, allegedly carried risks such as dismissal, arrest, or worse, according to eNCA’s coverage.
The events in question centred on a July 2025 operation involving a drug bust near the Palm Continental Hotel in Mayfair and a follow-up search at an unfinished house in Lakewood Estate, where additional suspected cocaine was found. The commission’s witness page confirms Potsane’s testimony as part of Day 194 hearings on 13 November.
Furthermore, a chase involving a Ford Ranger on 3 July 2025 was reportedly abandoned after a phone call from Manyama, signifying his control over the operation.Timelines and details of the bust, including the exact quantity of seized cocaine and pistol recovery, remain partly unverified in available reports.
The allegations remain testimony before the commission; no judicial findings have been made against Manyama, who has yet to publicly respond to the claims within the Madlanga Commission hearings.
This testimony highlights ongoing concerns about corruption and operational interference within the JMPD, raising questions about accountability and transparency in law enforcement actions against drug trade in Johannesburg.
Cape Flats reporters will continue monitoring developments at the Madlanga Commission for updates on this and related matters.