By Johnathan Paoli
The Madlanga Commission continued its probing sessions on Wednesday afternoon into the alleged misconduct and cover-up involving former Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi, with damning testimony suggesting that senior municipal officials, including former City Manager Dr Imogen Mashazi, abused their authority to protect him from accountability.
Former Ekurhuleni employee relations head Xolani Nciza detailed how, on the evening of 23 May 2023, he received a heated call from Mashazi regarding the possible extension of Mkhwanazi’s suspension.
According to Nciza, Mashazi accused him and then-Police Chief Sibongile Mapiyeye of hating Julius and ordered that he leave Julius alone.
Despite his insistence that suspension decisions were not his to make, Nciza said Mashazi berated him and instructed him to facilitate Mkhwanazi’s return to work.
“She was effectively shouting at me. There was no rational engagement. This was an abuse of power in the extreme,” Nciza told the commission.
Nciza said both he and Mapiyeye later received similar calls from Mashazi ordering them to reinstate the brigadier.
Hours later, the head of Human Resources allegedly messaged Nciza in the early hours of the morning, instructing him to draft the letter that would officially lift the suspension.
Despite ongoing allegations that Mkhwanazi was implicated in a murder cover-up and had colluded with private security contractor Matlala’s company to issue fraudulent memorandums allowing civilians to impersonate police officers, Nciza said he and others were left powerless to resist Mashazi’s orders.
On 24 May 2023, while drafting the reinstatement letter, Nciza encountered Mkhwanazi in full uniform.
The interaction, Nciza said, confirmed that the brigadier had returned to work; a move that risked compromising witnesses in his pending disciplinary inquiry.
The commission pressed Nciza on why he and his colleagues went along with what they knew to be improper conduct.
Nciza replied that he had received an instruction he could not defy, even though he disagreed with it.
According to Nciza, Mkhwanazi faced six disciplinary charges, including gross dishonesty, abuse of power, and facilitating impersonation of law enforcement officials through fake agreements with Cat Security Services and Medicare 24 Emergency Services.
These fraudulent memorandums allegedly allowed private security personnel to operate with blue lights and municipal insignia during official events, including the 2022 State of the City Address.
However, the commission heard that the charge sheet was never served.
Mkhwanazi allegedly refused to accept it in July 2023 after being advised by the HR Head of Department and Mashazi that “the case was not going to fly”.
An HR official later confirmed receiving a call instructing that the charge sheet not be delivered.
Nciza described the development as a complete subversion of the disciplinary process and said that all money spent preparing the case was wasted.
He accused Mashazi of protecting Mkhwanazi and noted that legal officials who had worked on the case were frustrated by its withdrawal.
The following month, Nciza claimed, a report was tabled proposing R600 000 salary increases for the HR HOD and the head of legal services, advocate Kemi Behari, both allegedly involved in ensuring that Mkhwanazi was not touched.
Questioned on why did not file a protected disclosure about the abuse of power; Nciza admitted he did not, citing that he was later suspended in September 2023 and dismissed without a hearing.
He also recounted how Mapiyeye, after facing harassment from Mashazi, eventually withdrew the internal investigation and redeployed Mkhwanazi.
During his leave, Mapiyeye discovered that Mkhwanazi had been promoted to deputy chief, allegedly without due process.
Throughout his testimony, Nciza maintained that Mashazi’s actions reflected unprecedented favouritism toward the brigadier.
Asked by Madlanga why he believed she was so invested in Mkhwanazi’s fate, Nciza replied that their relationship appeared to stem from “proximity” and “extra-mural activities” that needed investigation.
The commission will continue on Thursday.
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