By Johnathan Paoli
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has dismissed Tshwane Metro Police Department’s suspended Director of Asset Protection Services Tshukudu Malatji’s claims that Deputy Commissioner Revo Spies was both “irregularly appointed” and busy undermining his efforts to testify adequately.
Concluding his testimony on Thursday afternoon after lunch, Malatji said that Spies had allegedly interfered with his preparation for the commission.
“As I was preparing my statement, it came to my attention that Commissioner Spies instructed some of the officials in my office not to give me any piece of information in order to prepare myself for today’s testimony,” Malatji said.
“Why would that be the case? What is Commissioner Spies hiding? Maybe he issued this instruction so that he can manipulate communication, so that when I appear before this commission, there is only one side of the story.”
However, the commission did not pursue his claim in depth, instead turning its focus to the evidentiary basis of Malatji’s broader allegations against the deputy commissioner.
Central to Malatji’s testimony was his suspicion that Spies’ appointment as Deputy Chief of Police for Asset Protection and Security Services was irregular and potentially corrupt.
But under sustained questioning from commissioners, Malatji conceded that he had no direct evidence implicating Spies himself.
“I am suspicious that Mr. Spies was appointed through a corrupt and irregular recruitment process. I am suspicious, I am not definitely saying somebody is corrupt,” Malatji said.
Commissioner Sesi Baloyi challenged him directly, warning against making serious allegations without substantiation.
“We cannot allow this platform to be used to malign people’s reputations without facts. You are making the statement. You haven’t put to us the facts that back up that,” she said.
Pressed to identify who exactly he believed was responsible for the alleged irregular appointment, Malatji shifted his position, conceding that Spies himself could not have been responsible for approving the structure under which he was appointed.
“I am, Commissioner, you are correct to say it cannot be Commissioner Revo Spies if there is indeed corruption. It could be those who came up with the new structure, which would include the chief of police, and yes, which would include the chief of police and whoever they were working on the issue of structures around it,” he said.
The exchange underscored the commission’s frustration with what it viewed as vague and shifting allegations.
At one point, Baloyi emphasised the seriousness of corruption claims.
“It is important that if you are alleging corruption, you should be pressed to say who, in fact, you are saying is the corrupt person in this equation,” she said.
Malatji’s credibility was further tested when he admitted that some of his suspicions, including claims that Spies may not be registered with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA), were not based on any factual knowledge.
“I do not know any fact. It’s just a feeling,” he said.
Commissioner Sandile Khumalo dismissed this line of reasoning as unhelpful, noting that such matters could easily be verified.
“If this is your suspicion and it’s not based on fact, it’s really not helpful,” Khumalo said.
The commission also interrogated Malatji’s interpretation of TMPD structures, challenging his claim that the position occupied by Spies did not exist prior to his appointment.
Chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga pointed out inconsistencies, noting that an acting official had previously occupied a similar role.
“Surely from the fact that someone was acting in this position, that must mean it was in the structure,” Madlanga said.
Malatji attempted to distinguish between a “divisional head” role and the “deputy chief” position later formalised, but struggled to maintain a coherent argument under scrutiny.
Beyond his allegations, Malatji also acknowledged his own disciplinary troubles, confirming he has been suspended since July 2025 following misconduct allegations lodged by Spies, who is the main witness in the case against him.
“Our working relationship is therefore not good. In essence, I feel like his aim is to ensure that my employment with the city is terminated,” he said.
Spies previously testified that Malatji was placed on suspension and in disciplinary hearings, following his alleged refusal to follow an order from the Deputy Commissioner to immediately terminate contracts for ad-hoc security services.
Despite this, Malatji denied claims that he failed to follow instructions, telling the commission: “It is not true that I was not complying, I complied with many of his instructions, where I happened not to, it was not deliberate.”
Malatji said “his heart was breaking” due to being suspended and being given a salary, despite not doing any work for the metro.
As proceedings concluded, the commission signalled that several of Malatji’s claims, particularly those relating to PSIRA requirements and structural approvals among others, would require a supplementary statement from Malatji as well as the commission verifying his claims independently.
Proceedings continue Friday morning.
INSIDE POLITICS