Ex-cop denies son killed by police was involved in drugs after alleged R2.5m hit

A former police detective has given the Madlanga commission a detailed account of the events he believes culminated in the killing of his son, Bevan Loftus, and four others in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) three years ago.

Gregory Loftus appeared before the commission at the Bridgette Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria on Thursday, where he alleged that his son had been targeted after a rival businessman and alleged drug dealer placed a R2.5 million hit on his life.

Loftus’s testimony comes a day after KZN Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) deputy director for investigations, Len John, implicated specialised police task teams in alleged extrajudicial killings in the province.

John had told the commission that one of the alleged cases involved Bevan’s death.

Bevan, Sihle Zondi, Ryan Santos, Chase Fynn and Michigan Hippolyte were killed in a flat on 1 April 2023.

The commission has heard allegations that Clive Naicker, an alleged leader of a drug and tow truck gang, offered KZN Hawks Lieutenant-Colonel Deendayalan “Deena” Govender money to have Bevan killed.

It is alleged that Govender’s task team then targeted Bevan while portraying him as a drug dealer.

John previously testified that R2.7 million in cash was deposited into bank accounts linked to Govender and his wife, who is also a police officer, between August 2022 and December 2023.

Madlanga commission continues

Loftus, who served in the South African Police Service (Saps) for 20 years before leaving in 2009, rejected claims that his son was involved in drug trafficking or any murders.

He testified that Bevan operated a tow-truck business and that the industry had become increasingly dangerous due to the sector’s “lucrative” nature.

According to Loftus, Bevan owned 12 tow trucks, six of which were operational at the time of his death.

While acknowledging that some of his son’s associates had links to drugs and other criminal activities, Loftus insisted that this did not mean Bevan himself was involved.

The former police officer told the commission that violence escalated in Wentworth in 2020, with Bevan, his friends and drivers becoming targets of shootings allegedly linked to a drug gang known as “the Cartel”.

Several people connected to Bevan were allegedly attacked during this period.

One of his friends, who had previously survived being shot in the shoulder, was later killed at a flat.

Five of Bevan’s drivers were also shot, two of whom died.

Loftus testified that another driver escaped an attack at a shop, but his father was later killed in a drive-by shooting while sitting on a veranda.

He also described how another of Bevan’s friends was shot while accompanying his wife to work. The man was left needing rehabilitation to walk again.

Loftus revealed that his other son, Nicholas, was also shot at while working as an e-hailing operator and eventually stopped working because he feared for his life.

Former cop denies son was a drug dealer

The former detective denied that Bevan was involved in criminal activity.

“As far as I know, he lived from income received from his towing and taxi business. He did not live a flamboyant life and lived modestly.

“I have been in the service; I would have had some idea if Bevan was involved in drugs or in the killing of other people.

“I vehemently dispute those allegations. The narrative that Bevan and his friends were involved in drugs was a cover-up by the police to justify hunting and ultimately killing him,” Loftus told the commission.

Father sought court protection before son’s death

Loftus indicated on Thursday that the family had been warned in 2022 that Bevan was in danger after allegedly receiving information that a R2.5 million bounty had been placed on his head.

The threat extended beyond Bevan.

“The word was that I should be careful because if they cannot kill Bevan, they would kill my son Nicholas or myself,” the father said.

The former detective said he attempted to intervene through the courts.

On 31 March 2023 – the day before Bevan was killed – Loftus highlighted that he filed an affidavit supporting an interdict application aimed at preventing Govender and other police officers from killing his son.

He also said Bevan had confronted Naicker during a telephone conversation in January 2023 and that he retained a recording of the call.

“It proposes strong evidence that Naicker was behind the R2.5 million hit on Bevan’s life.”

Tense police raid months before shooting

Furthermore, Loftus detailed an earlier police operation at Bevan’s home, which he claimed demonstrated the hostility between his family and law enforcement.

According to him, between 20 and 30 police officers arrived at the property, which was adjacent to Loftus’s own house, on 13 December 2022.

Loftus went outside and began filming the operation on his cellphone.

He alleged that warrant officer Sivan Naidoo subsequently instructed a colleague to arrest him after Loftus told police that he did not know where Bevan was.

The police, Loftus explained, indicated that they were looking for Bevan in connection with two murder cases.

“I enquired as to who charged Bevan, but he said that it was private and he cannot divulge the information.”

Loftus testified that the police subsequently accused him of failing to cooperate and withholding information.

He also alleged that one of Bevan’s employees was assaulted twice during the operation and that the incidents were recorded on CCTV.

Govender allegedly present during search

Loftus said Govender was among the officers who later arrived at the property.

He alleged that officers were instructed to force their way into the house.

“Many police members entered and went into different areas in the house without any supervision.”

Firearms were found at the property, while Loftus said an old police bulletproof vest and handcuffs that belonged to him were discovered in the garage.

He said this resulted in him facing allegations including impersonating a police officer, obstructing the ends of justice and possessing state property.

Loftus disputed the charges, arguing that he did not live at the property and did not have keys or a remote control to access it.

“Captain Deena Govender and Warrant Officer Sivan Naidoo said I was being charged because I own the premises.

“They took me, and I was detained at Durban North Police Station from Tuesday, 13 December 2022.

“I attended at the Durban Court 10 on Thursday 15 December 2022 and was remanded to Westville Prison for seven days.

“On reappearing at Durban Court 10 on 22 December 2022, I was released on a R3 000 bail.”

The charges against him were eventually withdrawn.

However, Loftus told the commission that he was informed in early 2026 that the case would be revived.