Ekurhuleni metro police deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi will take the witness box at the Madlanga commission on Wednesday and must answer several allegations, including being implicated in a murder scene cover-up.
Mkhwanazi, at the Madlanga inquiry into allegations of criminal infiltration and corruption in the justice cluster, has been implicated by several witnesses in unlawful conduct.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) in September 2023 found he acted unlawfully by authorising the installation of blue lights on vehicles belonging to Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
The blue lights saga has been pinned on an agreement between the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) and Matlala’s companies, detailed in two memorandums signed by Mkhwanazi.
His seniors, EMPD chief Isaac Mapiyeye and Ekurhuleni city manager Imogen Mashazi, testified they never approved the memorandums.
Mashazi testified this week Mkhwanazi’s signing of the memos, as a junior official, was irregular.
She, however, never ensured disciplinary action against him until her retirement in July and instead promoted him to acting EMPD head in 2024.
Mkhwanazi will have to detail the circumstances of his agreement with Matlala before the commission.
Former EMPD deputy chief Revo Spies testified, Mkhwanazi faced a probe by Ipid for allegedly covering up for three officers implicated in a string of crimes, including the torture and murder of a civilian.
Spies said the three officers were involved in the murder of a civilian who died after being tortured, and that his body had been dumped in a dam, allegedly on Mkhwanazi’s advice.
Mkhwanazi’s response to his alleged involvement is likely to form part of his testimony at the commission.
Mkhwanazi’s boss, Mapiyeye, told the commission the police deputy chief allegedly made 55 irregular promotional hires in the department within three months, some of which were not advertised.
Mapiyeye said Mkhwanazi began making the appointments, mostly without his approval, two months into his promotion. Mkhwanazi was appointed as deputy chief in December 2023.
The lawfulness of his appointment has also come under scrutiny at the Madlanga commission.
Mashazi, a former city manager, conceded on Tuesday that Mkhwanazi’s appointment was irregular as not all panel members in his interview recommended him for the job.
Mapiyeye alleged that Mkhwanazi did not undergo a competency assessment before his appointment and had refused to be vetted by the State Security Agency.
In all the alleged transgressions, Mkhwanazi was shielded by Mashazi from facing disciplinary processes, Mapiyeye contended.
The Madlanga commission was shown a video in which Mkhwanazi was heard telling his boss, Mashazi, “We will die for you; I will take a bullet for you,” during a party attended by other municipality officials in December 2023. That was the same month he was promoted to the deputy chief position.
Mashazi has denied she protected Mkhwanazi.
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