Suspended Ekurhuleni head of legal services advocate Khemraj Behari and suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Doctor Mkhwanazi have each been granted R50 000 bail, while former city manager Imogen Mashazi and suspended head of human resources Linda Gxasheka remain in custody pending the verification of their residential addresses.
The four were arrested on Wednesday evening during an operation by the Madlanga Commission Recommendations Task Team in Johannesburg’s East Rand.
They appeared briefly in the Germiston Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on multiple charges of fraud and corruption linked to the alleged abuse of public office, unlawful salary adjustments and the obstruction of internal disciplinary processes.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the State sought a postponement to verify the residential addresses of Mashazi and Gxasheka. Both remain in custody and are expected to return to the Germiston Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 10 July.
The case stems from an investigation that began in February 2023 after the EMPD received media enquiries about the alleged use of municipal vehicles by CAT VIP Protection, a private security company owned by controversial businessman Vusumuzi Matlala.
The State alleges investigations uncovered that Mkhwanazi unlawfully received municipal vehicles from the company, caused them to be registered as part of the municipal fleet without the required approvals, and later deregistered them while internal investigations were under way.
Despite recommendations by the EMPD and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) that Mkhwanazi face disciplinary action, the NPA alleges Mashazi, Behari and Gxasheka acted together to frustrate and ultimately halt the disciplinary process, resulting in Mkhwanazi’s precautionary suspension being lifted prematurely.
The State further alleges that between 2023 and 2025, Behari and Gxasheka unlawfully benefited from salary increases of more than R1.3 million each, which were processed without the approval of the Ekurhuleni Council as required by municipal legislation and policy.
Mkhwanazi is also accused of receiving an irregular salary increase of more than R650 000 after his appointment as deputy chief of police following what prosecutors describe as a flawed recruitment process.
“The NPA remains committed to ensuring accountability for corruption involving public officials and will continue to prosecute matters where there is sufficient evidence to hold those entrusted with public office accountable,” the prosecuting authority said.
Court proceedings were briefly delayed after media organisations applied to broadcast the hearing, with defence lawyers requesting time to consider the application after indicating they had not been served with the papers.
The arrests follow allegations made before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, where former Ekurhuleni employee relations director Xolani Nciza accused Behari and Gxasheka of blocking disciplinary action against Mkhwanazi despite a damning IPID investigation.
Nciza alleged the pair protected Mkhwanazi from disciplinary consequences and were later rewarded with substantial salary increases.
The commission also heard that Behari advised Mashazi that the disciplinary case against Mkhwanazi was weak because the IPID report was allegedly vague, with Mashazi later testifying that she relied on that legal opinion when deciding not to proceed with disciplinary action.
The IPID investigation was triggered by allegations that Mkhwanazi had enabled Matlala to unlawfully obtain blue lights for private security vehicles by falsely presenting them as having been donated to the EMPD.
Several witnesses who testified before the Madlanga Commission alleged that Mkhwanazi enjoyed protection from senior municipal officials despite adverse findings against him.
