South African authorities have admitted they can't inspect all cargo ships for drugs without bringing legitimate trade to a grinding halt.

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia told Parliament that the SAPS Border Policing unit doesn't systematically search export containers — especially perishable goods — unless they have actionable intelligence.

“SAPS Border Policing doesn't have access to the shipping manifest and related container information prior to departure of the vessel, and in many instances the manifest information becomes available to SAPS only after the vessel has departed the port, sometimes up to approximately three days later,” Cachalia said.

He was responding to questions from uMkhonto weSizwe Party MP Zelna Saira Abader about a massive drug bust in India in October 2022. Indian authorities intercepted crystal methamphetamine and cocaine worth a combined R4.3 billion hidden inside oranges, pears, and green apples shipped from South Africa.

The street value of the tik was R3.2 billion and the cocaine R1.1 billion.

Cachalia said no SAPS officials have been identified or held accountable in connection with that export consignment. No police officer has been suspended or faced disciplinary action over it.

The Madlanga Commission is digging deeper

The admission comes as the Madlanga Judicial Commission of Inquiry, headed by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, examines how South Africa's seaports have become key routes for large drug consignments.

Evidence before the commission revealed that 541kg of cocaine bricks — with a street value of about R200 million — were stolen from a storage facility a few months after being seized at the Durban Harbour in June 2021.

Another seizure in July 2021 of over 715kg of cocaine worth R300 million in Aeroton, Johannesburg, is also under scrutiny. That cocaine had been smuggled from Brazil and trucked from the Durban Harbour. The operation sparked accusations and counter-accusations among different law enforcement agencies.

Who does what at

the ports

Cachalia explained that cargo moving through seaports operates in a multi-agency environment where each body has a specific job.

The South African Revenue Service (Sars) handles customs declarations, cargo compliance, and customs risk management. The SAPS is responsible for criminal law enforcement and targeted searches where criminal suspicion or intelligence exists. The Border Management Authority (BMA) takes care of border law-enforcement functions. Port and terminal operators manage cargo handling and access control.

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) regulates and manages the country's eight commercial seaports, while Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) handles cargo-handling operations.

Transnet said it takes drug trafficking seriously as one of the security threats identified under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code. The company said TNPA and TPT work closely with SAPS, BMA, police crime intelligence, defence intelligence, and the State Security Agency to prevent and detect criminal activities.

“Regular multi-agency security meetings are conducted, chaired by the BMA and SAPS, where incidents occurring within the port environment are discussed,” Transnet said.

The practical reality is stark: without intelligence indicators, export containers with legitimate agricultural goods move through the port using the standard commercial export system. Cachalia said SAPS Border Policing focuses its profiling and searching functions on imports, where shipping documentation and manifests are available in advance.

For exports, the information arrives too late — sometimes three days after the ship has already sailed. That gap gives drug syndicates a wide window to hide contraband inside legitimate cargo.

The R4.3 billion bust in India showed exactly how that gap is being exploited. And with no police officers held accountable for that shipment, critics say the system has no deterrent effect.

  • R4.3 billion – combined street value of tik and cocaine seized in India in October 2022
  • R200 million – street value of 541kg cocaine bricks stolen from Durban Harbour storage after June 2021 seizure
  • R300 million – street value of 715kg cocaine seized in Aeroton, Johannesburg, in July 2021
  • 3 days – how long after a vessel departs that SAPS may receive export manifest information
  • 0 – number of SAPS officials held accountable for the India export consignment