By Johnathan Paoli
Suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief commissioner Julius Mkhwanazi has used his appearance before Parliament’s ad hoc committee to mount a sustained defence against allegations linked to the so-called “blue lights scandal”, insisting repeatedly that no privately owned vehicles were ever fitted with blue lights or unlawfully deployed under EMPD authority.
Led by evidence leader advocate Bongiwe Mkhize on Thursday, Mkhwanazi framed his suspension as punishment for “something that never happened”, arguing that the controversy around four vehicles linked to businessman and accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala had been distorted into a narrative of corruption and capture.
“There were no blue lights,: Mkhwanazi told the committee repeatedly, saying he did not have the authority to authorise blue lights or branding and that none were fitted by the City of Ekurhuleni or the EMPD.
According to his testimony, the four Cat VIP vehicles were in the process of being registered to the City as potential donations but were never handed over to the EMPD, never became operational and never carried blue lights.
He said responsibility for the City’s fleet lay with a single official, Chris Steyn, and that when national SAPS investigators later demanded answers, Steyn confirmed that no blue lights had been fitted.
Mkhwanazi maintained that what fuelled the scandal was social media speculation and internal leaks.
“This story was on Instagram…they were calling me a blue light blesser,” he said, describing the fallout as “character assassination”.
Mkhwanazi acknowledged, however, that his engagement with Matlala and Cat VIP involved “many oversights” and conceded that the arrangement was informal and unlawful under the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), even if no money changed hands.
“It was wrong; let me repeat it to you,” he told the committee at one point.
He argued that his intention had been to benefit the City by creatively addressing resource shortages, not to benefit Matlala personally.
“The people who benefitted was the City, not him,” Mkhwanazi said, rejecting claims that Matlala gained unfair marketing or branding exposure.
Pressed on his relationship with Matlala, Mkhwanazi traced their first meeting to late 2021 and said communication had broken down by 2023, with no contact since.
He admitted receiving money from Matlala on several occasions, including funeral contributions, and said that if he could, he would return it.
“I feel so bad, chair,” he said.
When chairperson Soviet Lekganyane remarked that the same hand allegedly involved in drug syndicates had given him money, Mkhwanazi replied: “It’s very bad, chair. It is worse than the word bad”.
The most explosive moment of the day came during a prolonged and hostile exchange with DA MP Ian Cameron, who accused Mkhwanazi of misleading Parliament and destroying public trust in local government policing.
Cameron played video clips in which Mkhwanazi appeared to deny knowing Matlala, confronting him with what he described as contradictions.
“You’re playing games…you’re lying to this House,” Cameron said.
Mkhwanazi reacted angrily, accusing Cameron of dishonesty and political grandstanding.
“You are not an honest, honourable member,” he said, pointing across the committee room, and later described Cameron as having become “a shop steward” for certain interests in Ekurhuleni.
When Cameron questioned his policing competence, asking whether he knew what SWAT stood for, Mkhwanazi replied tersely and declined to engage further.
Other MPs also scrutinised his version of events.
FF+ MP Wouter Wessels pressed him on how vehicles registered to the metro could allegedly have been driven by Cat VIP staff, while ActionSA and ANC members questioned his understanding of corruption law and conflicts of interest.
Mkhwanazi conceded he was unfamiliar with the full scope of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act and admitted that, in principle, funeral donations should have been disclosed, even though he had not done so.
Despite the sustained criticism, Mkhwanazi insisted he was not corrupt, not a murderer and not involved in any unlawful blue light scheme.
“I am fighting crime. I can’t be supporting it indirectly,” he said.
He added that his association with Matlala was something he had learnt from and would never repeat.
Before adjourning, Lekganyane confirmed that the committee would continue its work next week.
On Tuesday, members are expected to hear testimony from controversial forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan, failing which, the committee will start considering submissions for the public on the matter.
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