Suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) chief Julius Mkhwanazi, former Ekurhuleni city manager Imogen Mashazi and two senior municipal officials appeared briefly in the Germiston Magistrate’s Court on Thursday following their arrest on fraud and corruption allegations.
Also appearing alongside Mkhwanazi and Mashazi were the City of Ekurhuleni’s suspended head of legal services, advocate Kemi Behari, and suspended head of human resources, Linda Gxasheka.
The four were arrested on Wednesday night by the Madlanga Commission Recommendations Task Team during an operation in the east of Johannesburg.
The charges have not yet been read to the accused as the court first dealt with an application by media organisations seeking permission to broadcast the proceedings.
Proceedings were briefly delayed after defence lawyers informed the court they had not been served with the media application and needed time to consider it.
The accused appeared briefly in the dock before the matter was adjourned.
The arrests follow allegations made before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, where former Ekurhuleni employee relations director Xolani Nciza accused Behari and Gxasheka of preventing disciplinary action against Mkhwanazi despite a damning Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) report.
Nciza alleged the two officials shielded Mkhwanazi and were later rewarded with salary increases of about R600,000 each.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed the arrests, saying current and former officials of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality had been taken into custody during a coordinated operation.
“Those arrested include current and former employees of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. The suspects are expected to appear before the Germiston Magistrate’s Court this morning,” Mathe said.
The commission previously heard that Behari advised Mashazi that the disciplinary case against Mkhwanazi was weak because the IPID report was allegedly vague.
Mashazi testified that she relied on Behari’s legal advice when deciding not to institute disciplinary proceedings against the suspended EMPD chief.
Gxasheka is accused of failing to implement disciplinary measures against Mkhwanazi despite recommendations that action be taken.
The IPID investigation stemmed from revelations reported in the media that Mkhwanazi had allegedly enabled controversial businessman Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala to unlawfully obtain blue lights for his private security vehicles by falsely claiming they had been donated to the EMPD.
Several witnesses who testified before the Madlanga Commission alleged that Mkhwanazi enjoyed protection from senior municipal officials despite findings against him
