Patience Nokwazi Songca

Patience Nokwazi Songca is a Lieutenant Colonel in the South African Police Service, serving as Subsection Commander for Chemical Investigation under the Chemistry Section at the Forensic Science Laboratory in KwaZulu-Natal. She holds a BSc in Chemistry and Botany and further qualifications in Chemistry and Quality Management. Before the Commission, she testified about the seizure and subsequent theft of drugs from Port Shepstone DPCI premises. Much of her testimony focused on repeatedly explaining to senior officers—including Brigadier Maluleke, Warrant Officer Nkosi, and Colonel Khuzwayo—that her subsection does not assist the DPCI with sampling, as clan lab teams are forensic experts with defined restrictions. She described her efforts to clarify procedures and criteria for when her members could be deployed.