Months after the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) found Julius Mkhwanazi acted unlawfully by authorising the installation of blue lights on vehicles belonging to attempted murder accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, he was appointed as the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief.
This was revealed on Thursday by Ekurhuleni metro police chief Isaac Mapiyeye at the Madlanga commission, which is investigating systematic weaknesses and allegations of criminal infiltration within the justice cluster, including the EMPD.
Mapiyeye said Ipid’s 2023 report recommended Mkhwanazi be disciplined for approving the installation of blue lights into cars registered under Matlala’s company, Cat VIP Security, and a case of fraud was opened against the top cop.
The use of blue lights is reserved for law enforcement entities. Mapiyeye said that instead of disciplining Mkhwanazi, he was shielded by former Ekurhuleni city manager Dr Imogen Mashazi and her subordinates.
He did not face disciplinary action and was instead promoted from being the EMPD director of special services to EMPD deputy police chief in December 2023. It was about three months after the Ipid report.
Mapiyeye stated that Mkhwanazi submitted a “fraudulent memorandum” that falsely represented a working relationship between EMPD and Matlala’s company.
The companies were also not listed as service providers for the municipality.
There were more memorandums in which Mkhwanazi purported working agreements with Matlala’s companies, including Medicare24, in which they offered to donate four vehicles to the municipality and a donation of R300,000 towards training of cadets.
Mapiyeye said the memorandums were provided by Mkhwanazi but were never signed by him, and he regarded them as fraudulent.
It was also found the municipality paid for licence fees for Matlala’s cars; this was pinned on Mkhwanazi also.
He said Mkhwanazi escaped disciplinary because he had a “close relationship” with Mashazi.
Irregular appointments
Mkhwanazi also allegedly made 55 irregular promotional hires in the department within three months, some not advertised, to senior positions and was allowed to promote officers by Mashazi.
Mapiyeye, who has been suspended since August 2024, told the commission Mkhwanazi began making irregular appointments during Mapiyeye’s absences.
“Around February and March 2024, there were positions which were advertised. To my dismay, Mkhwanazi was running the process of recruitment and promotion of municipal police members without my involvement,” he said.
He said Mkhwanazi conducted the recruitment with the municipality’s human resources head, Linda Gxasheka.
“This recruitment happened during my short leaves. Julius will be running very quickly with issues of appointing panel members who will sit at those interviews.”
He said Mkhwanazi acted unlawfully because legally he (Mapiyeye) held the power to oversee recruitment processes and should have been made aware.
When the matter was raised with Mashazi, who is the EMPD head’s boss, Mapiyeye said the city manager said he was responsible for the employment of directors and should allow Mkhwanazi to handle other hiring processes.
He described Mkhwanazi as a “no-go zone” when he needed to enforce discipline.
He said Mashazi allowed Mkhwanazi to disregard his authority for years.
“Brig Mkhwanazi, with the support of the city manager, has over the years brazenly disregarded my authority as the chief of police of EMPD.”
When asked why he did not raise the alarm on the irregularities with someone else other than Mashazi, he said he tried to raise the issues with the Ekurhuleni MMC of community safety, Sizakele Masuku.
However, he did not get “much joy” because the MMC was more interested in why eight white police officers were getting medals for 40 years of service, Mapiyeye said.
“There were a lot of criminalities. While escalating the matter was important, I was overwhelmed with urgent tasks.”
From May until July 2024, Mkhwanazi promoted 55 officers.
In August that year, Mapiyeye was suspended after a subordinate opened a sexual harassment complaint.
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