Embattled EMPD Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi has been fired while sitting behind bars on murder charges , a move political parties have welcomed as long overdue, saying the disgraced top cop should have been axed years ago.
Mkhwanazi, who had been on suspension since 11 November 2025, was officially dismissed on Friday while sitting behind bars after being denied bail in a murder case.
He and five co-accused were denied bail earlier this week and are facing charges of murder, robbery and defeating the ends of justice in connection with the killing of businessman Emmanuel Mbense.
Mbense was allegedly murdered at his Brakpan home before his body was dumped at a dam near Nigel in April 2022.
Mkhwanazi is also facing multiple other criminal matters for which he had previously been granted bail, and has been implicated in testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into criminality and political interference in the criminal justice system.
In a statement on Friday, the City of Ekurhuleni said Mkhwanazi was dismissed as Deputy Chief of Police for Operations and Specialised Services after an internal disciplinary process, evidence led at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, and the weight of criminal cases against him made his continued employment untenable.
The municipality said it weighed the gravity of the allegations, his senior rank in the EMPD, the link between the charges and his official duties, and the damage to the City’s integrity and reputation.
“The City further considered the repeated delays in the internal disciplinary proceedings, Mkhwanazi’s continued court appearances and incarceration, and the exceptional circumstances that made the continuation of the employment relationship untenable,” the City said.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Ekurhuleni has welcomed the dismissal, saying public office should never be a sanctuary for the corrupt.
DA Ekurhuleni Mayoral Candidate, Khathutshelo Rasilingwane MPL, said Mkhwanazi’s tenure had become synonymous with scandal.
“I welcome the dismissal of suspended EMPD Deputy Chief Commissioner Julius Mkhwanazi and say, without hesitation, good riddance,” Rasilingwane said.
“Public office is not a sanctuary for the allegedly corrupt, as his tenure has become uncomfortably synonymous with scandal.”
Rasilingwane said Mkhwanazi had repeatedly faced allegations of corruption, misconduct and mismanagement with impunity.
“Mkhwanazi has repeatedly faced charges of corruption, misconduct, and mismanagement with impunity, which I witnessed with utter indignation. Finally, it seems the consequences of his actions have caught up with him; hopefully, this first act of justice is the catalyst for many more to follow in its wake.
“His rank should never have been a shield against accountability, and that shield has finally cracked. No one should be exonerated after being implicated in such grievous crimes as that of theft and murder.”
Rasilingwane added that the EMPD needed a complete clean-up.
“This must be the first of many dismissals. The EMPD must be cleaned up, and every official implicated in wrongdoing must face the appropriate consequences. Mkhwanazi’s dismissal is long overdue,” he said.
Mkhwanazi has been a controversial figure within the EMPD for years, with his name repeatedly linked to allegations of abuse of power, corruption and links to criminal networks.
The City of Ekurhuleni placed him on precautionary suspension in November last year pending internal disciplinary processes and the outcome of criminal cases against him.
While the internal process dragged on, Mkhwanazi remained on the city’s payroll, drawing criticism from opposition parties who accused the metro of protecting senior officials implicated in serious crime.
His dismissal comes as pressure mounts on the City of Ekurhuleni to restore credibility to the EMPD, which has been rocked by a series of scandals, including the murder case and testimony before the Madlanga Commission.
At the commission, witnesses have alleged systemic corruption, political interference and collusion between rogue law enforcement officers and criminal syndicates.
Mkhwanazi’s name featured prominently, with allegations that senior EMPD officers were shielding criminal operations.
The DA and other opposition parties say his firing, while welcome, is only the beginning.
They argue that the metro must now conduct a full audit of the EMPD leadership, institute lifestyle audits and cooperate fully with law enforcement agencies investigating police criminality.
“This dismissal cannot be cosmetic. Ekurhuleni residents deserve a metro police department that protects them, not one that preys on them,” Rasilingwane said.
Mkhwanazi remains in custody awaiting trial for the Mbense murder. The State alleges that Mbense was killed in a planned hit at his home in Brakpan, with his body later dumped at a remote dam near Nigel to cover up the crime.
The case has been postponed for further investigation, with the state indicating it will oppose any future bail application.
