By Johnathan Paoli
Suspended Ekurhuleni head of human resources Linda Gxasheka on Thursday denied claims from multiple prior witnesses at the Madlanga Commission that she helped shield suspended deputy head of metro police Julius Mkhwanazi from accountability.
Testifying at the commission, Gxasheka said that despite damning allegations from witnesses – including suspended EMPD chief Isaac Mapiyeye — she was a victim, together former city manager Imogen Mashazi, in a “blame game”.
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“Games are being played. Now the blame is being put on myself and the city manager. That is not correct,” she said.
She told the commission that Ekurhuleni’s HR environment was “far more complex” than Johannesburg’s – where she had previously worked, adding she oversaw HR for 25 departments amid severe capacity constraints, legacy court judgments and contempt orders.
“If certain decisions had not been taken, the city would have closed,” she said.
She laid much of the blame for earlier failures on former employee relations head Xolani Nciza, who has previously testified against her.
Allegations have been made that Gxasheka interfered to protect Mkhwanazi from discipline over the illegal fitting of blue lights to vehicles linked to the security company of alleged criminal figure Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala.
Several witnesses have implicated Gxasheka in allegedly stalling disciplinary processes and undermining adverse findings by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).
Gxasheka rejected those claims, insisting she never usurped the powers of Mapiyeye and repeatedly stressing that Mashazi was “the ultimate authority” in the metro.
She acknowledged receiving letters from Mapiyeye in April 2024 complaining that Mkhwanazi had promoted officers without authority, but said the correspondence must be viewed in the context of sexual harassment allegations previously raised against Mapiyeye; claims also advanced by Mashazi in her own testimony.
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Commissioner Sandile Khumalo pressed Gxasheka on why she did not respond formally to those letters.
She said she met Mapiyeye several times instead and that Mashazi instructed him to draft a policy clarifying appointment powers, which she said had caused “confusion”.
Another major issue concerned Gxasheka’s role in attempting to extend the contract of then deputy EMPD chief Goodman Mzolo, a move Mapiyeye said was made without consulting him.
Gxasheka conceded the process “could have been done better” but denied any malicious intent, saying she recommended a six-month extension only because she feared a recruitment process would not be completed in time.
Evidence leader Advocate Matthew Chaskalson (SC) interrogated Gxasheka about the handling of Mkhwanazi’s suspension and the failure to serve disciplinary charge sheets in mid-2023.
Gxasheka denied instructing that charges not be served and pointed to email exchanges showing deadlines for service.
She blamed delays on difficulties between lawyers and officials, and said attorneys failed to hand over critical files because the city had not paid them.
Gxasheka described threats she allegedly received while dealing with sensitive HR cases, including being warned she could be attacked like a councillor whose house was petrol-bombed.
She said the HR function was “embedded with risk” and welcomed the commission’s own threat assessment.
The commission continues.