The Madlanga Commission has postponed the in-camera testimony of former deputy crime intelligence head Feroz Khan after a reported assassination of his associate on the eve of his appearance.
“The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System, commonly known as the Madlanga Commission, confirms that Mr Feroz Khan appeared before it remotely and in-camera this (Tuesday) morning.
“However, due to the death of a family member resulting from a shooting incident on the
R21 in Gauteng last (Monday) night, Mr Khan is not in a position to testify today. The commission has therefore postponed the testimony of Mr Khan to a date which has yet to be determined,” the commission said in a statement.
On the eve of his scheduled appearance at the Madlanga Commission, Khan's close associate was killed during a drive-by shooting on the R21 highway in a suspected hit.
Preggy Padayachee, who is also Khan's uncle in-law, was killed on Monday evening, the day before Khan was scheduled to testify behind closed doors.
The commission had granted Khan’s application to testify in-camera after he cited the sensitivity of his testimony and the potential to impact investigations.
Although the South African Police Service has not linked Padayachee’s murder to Khan’s testimony, this marks a second reported hit hours before Khan's day at the Madlanga Commission.
On Sunday, 28 June, Khan was ambushed by two men in a white vehicle at around 11pm while returning to his Houghton residence. He was due to appear before the Madlanga Commission the next morning.
He reportedly sustained gunshot wounds to his lower body and was rushed to Milpark Hospital for emergency surgery.
Khan's attempted assassination occurred while he was on R20 000 bail granted by the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court.
He was dismissed from the SAPS on 2 September after he failed to attend his disciplinary hearing. He also faces criminal charges related to a 2021 precious mines case.
Khan was expected to respond to several allegations against him including the 2021 Aeroton drug bust and reported links to Imogen Mashazi, Mohamed Sayed, Julius Malema and Andrea Johnson.
Khan’s hospitalisation in June became a long-standing bone of contention at the Madlanga Commission which has resulted in several postponements of his testimony. He was later subjected to an independent medical examiner who cleared him for in-camera appearance.
Padayachee previously acted as the public family spokesperson when Khan survived the shooting, stating: “Whoever did it must pay.”
On Monday evening, 5 October, Padayachee was killed after a shooting incident on the R21 road towards OR Tambo International Airport.
Preliminary investigations show that Padayachee died during a vehicle crash while evading the assailants.
“[A] driver travelling in a Fiat reportedly experienced a breakdown and contacted a friend for assistance. The friend arrived at the scene accompanied by two other people. As they were attending to the vehicle, shots were fired at them. The driver attempted to evade the gunfire but lost control of the vehicle, which collided with a jersey barrier,” said SAPS statement.
Padayachee reportedly sustained fatal injuries and was declared dead on the scene. The SAPS said one passenger sustained gunshot wounds and another was unharmed.
Padayachee's murder has become the latest violent incident to have occurred before Khan's scheduled testimony before the Madlanga Commission.
The commission said Khan's testimony has been postponed to date yet to be determined. The final report is due on 25 January 2027.