Madlanga commission: Hawks officer grilled over cash payments amid money laundering concerns

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Hawks Lieutenant-Colonel Deenadayalan “Deena” Govender faced intense questioning at the Madlanga commission as he attempted to account for millions of rands paid into bank accounts linked to him and his wife.

Govender returned to the witness stand at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria on Monday, 31 August 2026, for the continuation of his testimony before the commission.

The Hawks officer, who heads the KwaZulu-Natal police cash-in-transit (CIT) task team, has been implicated by witnesses in alleged extrajudicial killings, including the deaths of tow-truck operator and alleged drug dealer Bevan Loftus and four other people in April 2023.

The commission has heard allegations that rival businessman Clive Naicker allegedly placed a R2.5 million bounty on Loftus and offered Govender money to have him killed.

Govender has been accused of deploying members of his cash-in-transit (CIT) task team against Loftus.

It is further alleged that more than R2 million in cash was deposited into accounts linked to Govender and his wife, who is also a police officer, between August 2022 and December 2023.

KZN Hawks cop Deena Govender testifies at Madlanga commission

During Monday’s proceedings, Govender was questioned about how he obtained the R2.35 million used to purchase his property in 2023.

He told the commission that he received a R1.4 million loan from FNB, while the balance of R950 000 was paid through several sources.

According to his statement, R235 000 was drawn from the home loan or mortgage bond registered against the property.

His statement further indicates that R165 000 was transferred from his son’s account, while R78 250 was transferred from his wife’s credit card and R337 962 came from Y Nagan.

Two further amounts of R179 800 and R200 000 were received from the late Josh Chellin.

Govender was asked to explain a R200 000 cash payment he made to a firm of attorneys in May 2023. He said the money had come from Chellin.

Two deposits of R298 462 and R299 800 made into his home loan account in April and October 2023, respectively, also came under scrutiny.

Govender said he was unable to explain the first payment.

“I have requested my bank to give me particulars of that transaction, and I have been advised that it may take up to 21 days to obtain such details.

“I cannot now independently recollect the source of that transfer. I undertake to provide the information as soon as I receive it from my bank or the commission,” he told the commission.

The Hawks officer agreed with evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson that the R299 800 payment came from Chellin.

65 cash deposits questioned

Chaskalson told Govender that the commission had noted 65 cash deposits made into bank accounts held by him and his wife, amounting to R1.7 million (R1 734 550).

He asked the lieutenant-colonel to explain the source of the deposits and why he was in possession of large amounts of cash, particularly deposits exceeding R50 000.

Chaskalson also questioned why some of the cash deposits were made in amounts of R10 000 or less.

“All of those deposits were made at ATMs. I understood at the time that the maximum number of notes that could be deposited at an ATM was limited to 100 notes.

“Therefore, for example, a R10 000 deposit would have consisted of 100 R100 notes,” his statement reads.

Father figure

Govender explained the payments he received from Chellin, describing the late businessman as a father figure.

“Mr Josh Chellin was like my dad. He passed in December. My dad passed on a long time ago,” he said.

Govender said Chellin was a prominent businessman who ran a shipping and logistics company, which is now run by his children.

“I am close to the family. His wish was that I move out of the area where I was previously living and find a new place.

“He would assist me and when I get the funds somehow pay him back,” Govender explained, adding that the payments were loans.

The Hawks officer claimed the company’s accountant, Jay Subbia, whom Govender described as a ‘brother ‘, was aware of the loans and that they were recorded in Chellin’s notebook.

“It was from his company and some of the times; it was from his personal money.”

Govender testified he would have to verify the source of a R350 000 payment made by Chellin on 19 August 2023.

“I recall the payments, when I was procuring the property, was from his personal [account]. There’s four payments that came from the company itself.”

Asked how he knew the money came from Chellin’s personal account, Govender replied that the late businessman would give him cash in person in some instances.

Conflicting explanations over payments

Chaskalson, however, pointed out discrepancies in Govender’s statement concerning the R179 800 and R200 000 payments.

In a compilation of payments from his bank statements, Govender had claimed that the R379 800 total was received from his brother, K Govender.

However, in his affidavit, he stated that the same money had been received from Chellin.

Govender clarified that the cash was from “Uncle Josh”, although he maintained that he had at some point received money from his brother for purposes relating to a property.

“When I was putting this together and because I had to go so far back, I made a mistake somewhere along the line.”

Asked to explain the payment from his brother, he said: “There was a property that we all lived at, my mom’s place, so he had paid me off for my share of the property.”

The Hawks officer said the amount received from his brother was around R350 000.

According to Govender, the family home was worth R1.4 million and was shared among four people, including himself.

Chaskalson pointed out that the only R350 000 amount reflected in the payment compilation was attributed to Chellin.

“It couldn’t have been from my brother,” Govender replied, adding that his brother’s payments could have been the smaller cash deposits of R10 000 or less.

Mother-in-law’s cash deposits questioned

Chaskalson told Govender that those smaller deposits were attributed to an individual named S Pardhoothman, who is his mother-in-law.

Govender said Pardhoothman had moved in with him and his wife after selling her properties.

“She always had money with her so she is quite often at the casino,” the Hawks officer added.

Chaskalson remarked that Govender’s mother-in-law was “one of those very lucky winners”.

“My experience with people who are quite often at the casino, most of their money ends up at the casino,” the evidence leader said.

He also questioned why Pardhoothman was holding thousands of rands in cash instead of keeping the money in her bank account.

Govender maintained that his mother-in-law always had cash.

“That’s more than R300 000 that she deposited in cash in your account on the 30th of August,” Chaskalson responded.

Govender said that, in some instances, he would receive cash and then hand it to an accountant named Shamal Kassie, who operates his own firm.

The firm would then make electronic fund transfers into Govender’s bank accounts through Kassie’s clients.

The Hawks officer told the commission Kassie was assisting him with the purchase of his property.

“I told about the property.”

Evidence leader raises money laundering concerns

Chaskalson questioned Govender about the movement of money between himself and the various people he had identified as sources of funds.

The evidence leader suggested that the transactions had “all the hallmarks of money laundering”.

“What you are telling us is that your now dead surrogate father gives you R300 000 in cash, you want to deposit it into your account, but you chose instead to give it to someone who isn’t your accountant but is a friend who is an accountant and who has access to clients who are willing to make transfers into unknown third parties’ accounts,” the evidence leader said.