{
  "id": 1778913,
  "title": "MADLANGA COMMISSION: Tobacco, tender rigging and spy-tech — inside the world of alleged Big Five boss",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/madlanga-commission-tobacco-tender-rigging-and-spy-tech-inside-the",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T19:22:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Maverick",
    "slug": "daily-maverick",
    "url": "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-08-18-tobacco-tender-rigging-and-spy-tech-inside-the-world-of-alleged-big-five-boss/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A controversial tobacco company named Carnilinx, alleged to be involved with Big Five cartel boss Jothan Msibi, is being investigated by the Madlanga Commission. According to messages screened at the commission on Tuesday, Msibi was reportedly involved in retrieving stolen stock for Carnilinx. The 2024 death of Msibi, a prominent figure in the taxi industry, brought attention to his alleged criminal activities, which included marijuana cultivation, connections to espionage technology, and questionable dealings around tenders. Msibi's relationship with Carnilinx extended to politics and private security, with connections to former police minister Bheki Cele. A former senior Crime Intelligence officer, Feroz Khan, who was wounded in a shooting shortly before testifying at the commission, is also tied to Carnilinx.",
  "summary": "Alleged Big Five cartel boss Jothan Msibi was involved in retrieving stolen stock for the controversial tobacco company Carnilinx and was part of a plot to get spyware technology from a Czech company into Eswatini, the Madlanga Commission has heard.",
  "key_points": [
    "Carnilinx tobacco company under Madlanga Commission investigation",
    "Jothan Msibi, Big Five boss, linked to marijuana cultivation and espionage tech",
    "Msibi's ties to Carnilinx extended to politics and private security"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}