A KZN Hawks officer’s testimony about the theft of his coffee machine before the Madlanga Commission has sparked an extraordinary nationwide outpouring of support, with South Africans donating more than R615,000 through a BackaBuddy campaign.
Warrant Officer Karl Sander, testifying before the commission, described the challenging conditions of his service and revealed that his coffee machine had been stolen from inside the DPCR. “My only safe space was my coffee machine. And then they stole my coffee machine inside the DPCR,” Sander told the commission, adding that he was subsequently polygraphed regarding the theft of his own property.
Sander explained that General Lesetja Senona had ordered the polygraph examination. While an initial technical review indicated “deception,” a later administrative review found that the polygraph examiner had made serious errors. The test was declared invalid, the examiner was barred from conducting further examinations, and Sander was exonerated.
The detail about the stolen coffee machine resonated deeply with the public. Campaign organizer Kyle van Reenen launched a BackaBuddy fundraiser with an initial goal of R5,000 to replace the machine.
“I thought I’m being quite arrogant. I thought people are going to say to me, ‘Yeah, who are you to ask for 5,000 rand?'” van Reenen said. However, within nine hours of the campaign’s approval, a single donor contributed the full R5,000 target.
The campaign quickly gained momentum, growing to R615,000 and rising at an average of approximately R133,000 per day, with donations ranging from R35 to R15,000. Van Reenen addressed early concerns about the campaign’s legitimacy, confirming that BackaBuddy maintains strict financial controls and that all funds are designated for Warrant Officer Sander.
“There is no way that you can steal the money,” van Reenen stated. “The money will be it’s all 100% going to go to warrant officer Saunders.”
Van Reenen noted that Sander, described as a humble individual, wishes to direct the funds toward a cause greater than replacing a personal item. “He wants to put it back into preventative drug detections so into the canine units into detecting drugs in the field,” van Reenen explained.
In a significant development, van Reenen revealed that a breeder specializing in detection canines has come forward to sponsor two fully trained dogs for the cause, a contribution valued at approximately half a million rand when accounting for training and associated costs.
With 24 days remaining in the campaign, van Reenen emphasized the broader significance of the public response. “South Africans have looked at it and we found a way to make it positive,” he said. “We’re going to be able to look back… and have something positive to remember.”
Van Reenen confirmed that he and Sander plan to meet for a cup of coffee once the warrant officer’s commission obligations permit, while urging the public to remain mindful of the serious ongoing proceedings. “We mustn’t detract from the fact that there’s still a serious commission going on,” he said.
