By Johnathan Paoli
A sharp confrontation over the early retirement of former EMPD Deputy Chief Revo Spies dominated the closing of testimony by suspended Ekurhuleni human resources head Linda Gxasheka at the Madlanga Commission, with Commissioner Sesi Baloyi rebuking her for characterising Spies’ conduct as misleading and inappropriate.
Baloyi took issue with Gxasheka’s assertion that Spies had misled the City of Ekurhuleni when he opted for early retirement while allegedly working elsewhere.
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Baloyi reminded the witness that she had previously gone further, accusing Spies of fraud.
“Yesterday you said Mr Spies committed fraud. Today you are saying he misled the metro,” Baloyi said.
She pressed Gxasheka on whether any written rule or binding policy prohibited Spies from taking early retirement.
Baloyi noted that Spies had reached the eligible age for early retirement and that no regulation barred him from doing so.
Gxasheka conceded that early retirement was permissible but argued that she took issue with the possibility of simultaneous employment elsewhere.
“I am not saying early retirement is not an option. What I am raising is that working elsewhere at the same time is not appropriate,” she said.
Baloyi suggested that the witness was unhappy that Spies was “receiving benefits while working somewhere else,” an allegation Gxasheka denied.
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“I don’t have a personal grievance. I am raising a concern,” she said.
Baloyi responded that any such concern lay squarely with the metro’s own policies.
“This is a policy issue for the City. If there is a gap, then Human Resources must fix it,” she said.
When Gxasheka again described Spies’ conduct as misleading, Baloyi interjected.
“That is not fraud. To say someone misled is inaccurate and offensive to employees,”
Gxasheka subsequently withdrew the statement and apologised.
Earlier in the day, evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson informed the commission that Makhosi Makamba had submitted a written response to allegations made against her.
Gxasheka has previously testified that Makamba handled the training tender awarded in 2023 to Tshakane Matlala (nee Baloyi), the wife of Vusimusi Matlala, despite several red flags.
Counsel for Gxasheka, Emma Magula, objected to the use of Makamba’s statement, arguing it was not a proper affidavit.
“We do not know the author of this document. There is also reference to a letter, but that letter is not before the commission,” she said
Commission chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga noted that the commission had previously relied on statements that were not affidavits.
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“What is wrong with using a statement that is not an affidavit?” he asked.
Chaskalson told the commission he had not engaged with Makamba and that the statement had arrived unsolicited.
Madlanga ruled that Chaskalson could question Gxasheka on the contents.
Makamba’s statement accuses Gxasheka of removing her from involvement in the training tender and disputes claims that Gxasheka was not part of the process.
Gxasheka denied this, stating that she could not recall whether she had removed Makamba from the tender process.
Gxasheka also rejected claims by Nciza that several officers were sent to serve him with documents at his home.
“At most it would be two officers. If it happened, I would not know, because I did not send a large group,” she said.
The commission adjourned, with proceedings to resume on Monday morning.