The trio appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Monday after being granted R20,000 bail each. Photo credit: @mdnnews on X
A 2021 incident at OR Tambo International Airport in which a Durban businessman was allegedly found in possession of unwrought gold has unravelled into one of the most explosive corruption cases to emerge from South Africa’s law enforcement community. Five years later the Gauteng Hawks head, the Crime Intelligence head and the businessman are in the dock together.
Gauteng Hawks head Major General Ebrahim Kadwa, Crime Intelligence head Major General Feroz Khan and Durban businessman Tariq Downes appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Monday 11 May 2026 after being arrested over the weekend. All three were granted bail of R20,000 each. The matter has been postponed to 14 July 2026 for further investigations. The State confirmed it would not oppose bail but made clear it was confident it had a strong case against all three accused.
What Happened at OR Tambo in 2021
The charges against the three accused stem from an incident that took place on 5 May 2021 at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. According to the National Prosecuting Authority, Downes was allegedly found in possession of 75.9 grams of unwrought gold valued at approximately R62,836. He did not have the permits required by law to be in possession of or transport precious metals.
During questioning by officers at the scene, Downes allegedly claimed the metal was merely a brass bar. He then allegedly escalated his defence, claiming he was working as an undercover agent in cooperation with senior SAPS officials specifically naming Major General Feroz Khan as his handler.
Officers at the scene contacted Khan by phone to verify the claim. According to the charge sheet, Khan confirmed knowing Downes, supported his version of events and instructed officers to release him immediately. Downes was released without a formal police docket being opened against him.
The Cover That Did Not Hold
The absence of any documentation supporting the existence of an undercover operation raised immediate concerns among officers involved in the incident. The matter was escalated to Gauteng Hawks head Ebrahim Kadwa, who allegedly upheld the instruction to release Downes but directed that an inquiry be opened rather than a formal criminal docket. No docket was opened. Downes walked free.
Police investigations conducted subsequently revealed that Downes was not a registered police informer or agent at the time of the incident and had no legitimate connection to any undercover operation. National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe was unequivocal in rejecting the undercover agent claim.
“For you to become an informer you must be registered with SAPS and you must have a handler. We then realised that at the time he was not an informer,” Mathe said. “For you to be carrying precious metals, you must have permits in place. And at that time the suspect did not have that required documentation.”
Police investigations later concluded that Downes had not been authorised to possess the gold, that no undercover operation of the nature he described existed and that he had been released prematurely as a direct result of the alleged intervention by Khan and Kadwa.
Five Years Later: Arrests Made
The arrests of Kadwa, Khan and Downes followed an intensive investigation by the Gauteng Counter-Intelligence Operations Unit into allegations linked to illicit precious metals transactions, corruption and related criminal activities. All three were arrested over the weekend of 10 and 11 May 2026.
The trio faces charges of contravening the Precious Metals Act and defeating or obstructing the course of justice. Mathe described the arrests as deeply concerning given the seniority of the officers involved.
“It is quite disappointing to note and to witness two senior officers the major generals appearing in court on such a serious case,” Mathe said. “But it shows that as an organisation we are committed to transparency, integrity and rooting out wrongdoing and corruption in our ranks.”
NPA Confident of a Strong Case
NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago confirmed the State’s position on the matter following the court appearance on Monday.
“The accused are charged with contravention of the Precious Metals Act and defeating the ends of justice. Once we have made the decision to prosecute, which is the case here, the people were arrested and brought before court, and we are really comfortable that we have got a case and they’ve got a case to answer,” Kganyago said.
The State confirmed it would not oppose the bail applications, and all three were released on R20,000 bail each. They are expected to return to the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on 14 July 2026 for further proceedings.
Who Are Kadwa and Khan
The arrests of two major generals in simultaneous proceedings represent an extraordinary development for the South African Police Service. Ebrahim Kadwa serves as the head of the Gauteng Hawks, formally known as the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation the unit tasked specifically with investigating serious, organised and economic crime, including the very type of precious metals offences with which he now stands accused. Feroz Khan serves as head of Crime Intelligence, the unit responsible for gathering and analysing intelligence to support criminal investigations and protect the integrity of the justice system.
The alleged use of Crime Intelligence structures to allegedly fabricate an undercover operation and secure the release of a man allegedly found in possession of illegal gold will raise serious questions about the integrity of those structures and the oversight mechanisms that allowed the matter to remain unaddressed for five years.
The Broader Context
The arrests come at a moment of intense scrutiny of South Africa’s law enforcement community. The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has been hearing explosive testimony about alleged criminal infiltration of SAPS structures at the highest levels. Several senior officers have faced arrest in connection with commission-related investigations in recent months, including the arrest of suspended EMPD deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi and Ekurhuleni City Manager Kagiso Lerutla in April 2026.
Mathe acknowledged the pattern while insisting it reflected the organisation’s commitment to accountability rather than systemic failure. “But it shows that as an organisation we are committed to transparency, integrity and rooting out wrongdoing and corruption in our ranks,” she said.
Editors Note Ebrahim Kadwa, Feroz Khan and Tariq Downes are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. All allegations in this article are unproven at the time of publication and will be tested in court. Mzansi Today Live will update this article as further information becomes available.