Gauteng Hawks Lieutenant-Colonel Nkoana Sebola has accused several senior South African Police Service (SAPS) officers of interfering in the investigation into the 2021 Aeroton cocaine bust, alleging their actions undermined what he believed was a strong criminal case.

Sebola made the allegations while testifying before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Monday. The commission is investigating the theft and handling of more than 700kg of cocaine seized in Johannesburg in July 2021.

“I was concerned about the conduct of certain senior officers and the role they played at the crime scene,” Sebola told the commission.

He alleged that senior officers, including Gauteng Crime Intelligence deputy head Major-General Feroz Khan, Gauteng Hawks head Major-General Ebrahim Kadwa and Gauteng Crime Intelligence head Major-General Josias Lekalakala, interfered in the investigation and crime scene management process.

Sebola said he was particularly troubled by Khan’s conduct and statements regarding the handling of the scene.

“I was concerned regarding a statement made by General Khan and questioned his understanding of proper crime scene management,” he said.

According to Sebola, the alleged interference weakened a case that he believed contained sufficient evidence to proceed to prosecution.

The commission heard that his concerns extended beyond the Aeroton matter.

Sebola described what he characterised as a pattern of interference by senior officials in investigations.

“I was deployed to the airport, where dollars were confiscated at OR Tambo. Those dollars were subsequently sent to the Reserve Bank, with instructions to return them to their owner. An item other than dollars was declared. Interference took place,” he said.

Asked whether the involvement of senior officers had assisted or hindered investigations, Sebola said it had been obstructive.

“I am concerned about the ambiguous conduct of certain generals. It is not clear whether their actions are aimed at apprehension or resolution. There is substantial interference,” he said.

Earlier, Sebola outlined evidence allegedly linking Gauteng traffic chief Samuel Mashaba to communications uncovered during the investigation.

The commission heard that investigators recovered screenshots from the cellphone of alleged informant Tumelo Nku, including communications conducted through the encrypted messaging application Threema.

According to Sebola, one of the cellphone numbers identified during the investigation had been saved under the name “General”.

“A number was saved as ‘General’ and we later found out that the number belonged to Samuel Mashaba, who was the General they referred to,” he said.

Mashaba is a central figure in the commission’s investigation.

He received a tip-off about a container allegedly carrying cocaine from Durban harbour to the Yellow Jacket Logistics warehouse in Aeroton.

Police later intercepted the truck and seized 741kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of R300 million.

Sebola testified that investigators also recovered screenshots showing discussions about containers and vessels, suggesting those involved had monitored several shipments before the Aeroton operation.

“The group which took possession of the Aeroton drug consignment had been monitoring several other containers before the July 2021 operation,” he said.

He added that investigators uncovered evidence suggesting some of those previous operations had been successful.

The commission also heard that cellphone tracking data placed Nku in Durban while the container was still at the port and later showed him travelling along the same route as the truck carrying the cocaine.

“On 8 July 2021, the truck was released from the Port of Durban to Gauteng, and on the same day Tumelo Nku travelled to Gauteng. This is a clear indication that Tumelo Nku was monitoring the truck,” Sebola testified.

However, under questioning from commissioners, Sebola conceded that he could not definitively link the recovered chat messages to the Aeroton drug bust.

The commission also scrutinised the technical basis of Sebola’s evidence, particularly the recovery and interpretation of encrypted communications.

Commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga requested a detailed affidavit from a DPCI analyst after it emerged that Sebola had relied on technical assistance in compiling portions of the report submitted to the commission.

Meanwhile, the commission announced that Khan remains scheduled to testify on 1 July after withdrawing two urgent court applications aimed at preventing the commission from accessing data on devices seized from him.

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The ad hoc committee investigating allegations of police corruption will ask National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza to intervene after the intelligence oversight committee failed to respond to a request for access to a report they say may be central to their inquiry.

The MPs said during a virtual meeting on Thursday night that the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence’s (JSCI) continued silence had raised suspicions that information may be concealed.

The committee submitted a formal request last month to view a report prepared by suspended Inspector-General of Intelligence Imtiaz Fazel.

Committee chairperson Soviet Lekganyane criticised the JSCI for failing to acknowledge the request, saying its silence was undermining the work of the ad hoc committee.

“We wrote to the JSCI last month, and up to today, the JSCI has not responded to us. I cannot be undermined as the chair of this committee. The JSCI, if it’s a professional organ of state receiving a letter from another organ of state, should have had the courtesy to write to us to at least acknowledge receipt of our letter,” Lekganyane said.

Lekganyane described the lack of response as “not befitting of a public office”.

ANC MP Khusela Sangoni said the JSCI’s conduct had deepened concerns about the contents of the report.

“We find it extremely unfortunate that the JSCI has seemingly sought to treat this committee with contempt from the beginning of the process,” she said.

Sangoni said the report appeared central to understanding the dispute that had emerged within the South African Police Service and questioned why the committee had received no response.

“For the JSCI not to make a comment either way, it seems to us very obstructionist and makes us wonder if indeed something is being hidden in that report.”

She proposed escalating the matter to Didiza, saying the committee needed a definitive response from the JSCI.

MK Party MP Vusi Shongwe agreed, saying the silence created the impression that important information was being withheld.

“It is unfortunate the JSCI has not responded. To us, it says a lot, there’s something being hidden there,” Shongwe said.

The committee subsequently resolved to write to the Speaker seeking intervention.

The dispute over the intelligence report comes as the committee faces pressure to finalise its work on allegations that have implicated senior police and political figures.

The meeting also dealt with objections lodged by lawyers for Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who was placed on special leave last year, over Advocate Arendse’s draft evidentiary report.

Lekganyane described the legal intervention as premature, saying the committee had not yet deliberated on the report.

“We have received the letter from the lawyer of the Honourable suspended Minister. They have issues that they are raising on the report that Advocate Arendse presented. The action is premature, because they should have advised their client correctly, and the Minister himself knows the procedures here in Parliament,” he said.

Lekganyane said the committee had repeatedly indicated that individuals implicated in its findings would be given an opportunity to respond before any final report was submitted.

“It is too early, too pre-emptive for the minister to raise what he thinks is prejudicial conduct against him and we reject the notion that evidence leaders acted outside of their scope,” Sangoni added.

Committee legal adviser Andile Tetyana recommended that a response be sent to Mchunu’s legal team confirming that the committee had not yet started deliberating on the evidentiary report.

“We write back to the lawyers, to merely say the committee has not even started deliberating on the draft of the evidentiary report,” Tetyana said.

Tetyana warned that delays in completing draft reports had disrupted the committee’s timetable and suggested members consider requesting a further extension of the committee’s lifespan.

“The difficulties experienced by the counsel in finalising the evidentiary overview has had a snowballing effect on the achievements of other milestones of this project. To this end, we would like the committee to consider another request for the extension of the deadline, within which the committee must submit its report to the house,” Tetyana said.

The draft evidentiary report presented by Arendse last week concluded that Mchunu may have acted unconstitutionally when disbanding the Political Killings Task Team and may have misled Parliament about the reasons for doing so.

The draft findings also questioned evidence given by alleged political fixer and accused Brown Mogotsi regarding his relationship with Mchunu.

Before President Cyril Ramaphosa suspended him in October 2025, Fazel had reportedly recommended disciplinary and criminal action against National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola and Crime Intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo over alleged procurement irregularities involving more than R120 million spent on five Crime Intelligence properties.

The secretariat is expected to draft a timetable of meetings to consider the evidentiary report from next week.

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Tshwane Executive Mayor Nasiphi Moya has appointed Councillor Flora Monama as the new MMC for Corporate and Shared Services.

This follows the removal of Kholofelo Morodi after allegations of corruption and tender-related impropriety emerged at the Madlanga Commission.

ALSO READ: Faro: ‘I acted immediately on ad-hoc service irregularities’

In a statement on Wednesday, Moya said the appointment was aimed at strengthening the city’s administrative backbone and improving service delivery support across departments.

“I am confident that Cllr Monama will provide stable, capable, and focused leadership in this critical portfolio, strengthening the City’s internal capacity to support service delivery,” Moya said.

Monama has more than three decades of experience in government, with a background spanning human resource management, labour relations, compliance oversight and organisational administration.

Moya emphasised Monama’s track record in her current role as chairperson of the Section 79 Committee on Utility Services, where she has been responsible for oversight of municipal entities and critical service delivery functions.

“In this position, she has demonstrated disciplined leadership, strong organisational capability, and a clear focus on ensuring that systems function effectively to support delivery,” Moya said.

The mayor said the Corporate and Shared Services portfolio is central to the functioning of the municipality, as it underpins all departments through administrative and organisational support.

“It provides the administrative, human resource, and organisational support required for all departments to function effectively, and requires disciplined leadership, strong systems, and a clear focus on operational efficiency,” she said.

ALSO READ: Tshwane metro police chief tells Madlanga Commission that Sergeant Nkosi had no right to interfere

Moya said Monama’s extensive experience made her well-suited to stabilise and improve internal systems, which are often blamed for delays and inefficiencies in service delivery.

The appointment forms part of Moya’s efforts to reinforce governance structures within the metro following recent scrutiny over governance and procurement processes.

The Madlanga Commission heard allegations that Morodi shared confidential tender documents with suspended SAPS Sergeant Fannie Nkosi.

Nkosi was arrested on 2 April following a search-and-seizure operation, but the charges he faces relate to dockets, firearms, and ammunition allegedly found at his home, rather than directly to the tender-related allegations involving Morodi.

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Moya said she had considered Morodi’s written response alongside evidence before the commission, including communication records, but was not satisfied that the concerns had been adequately addressed.

Morodi’s membership in ActionSA was subsequently terminated.

Monama is expected to assume her new role immediately, with a mandate to streamline internal processes and enhance coordination across departments in one of South Africa’s largest metros.

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Popular musician and businessman Sbusiso “DJ Sbu” Leope WeNkosi has issued a denial after being implicated at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, rejecting allegations that he benefited from multimillion-rand grants linked to the City of Ekurhuleni.

In a statement on social media, Leope completely denied any wrongdoing or involvement in corruption in the metro.

ALSO READ: Evidence leaders to seek postponement of Nkabinde Inquiry on Monday

“These allegations, which attempt to implicate myself and businessman Thembinkosi TK Nciza, are entirely false, defamatory, and without any factual basis. I categorically deny any involvement in wrongdoing, misconduct, or unethical activity of any kind,” Leope stated.

The statement followed testimony on Monday by suspended Ekurhuleni head of legal and risk services, advocate Khemraj “Kemi” Behari, who told the commission that Leope and his long-time business partner, ANC politician and music executive Thembinkosi “TK” Nciza, were among “key beneficiaries” of Ekurhuleni-funded grant projects.

According to Behari, the allegations formed part of an investigation involving more than R100-million in public funds.

Leope stressed that the allegations were nothing but an attempt to shift attention away from the ongoing inquiry.

ALSO READ: Police say Wiandre Pretorius was person of interest in murder of Witness D, Marius van der Merwe

“I am deeply concerned that these allegations appear to be part of an attempt to divert attention from ongoing internal matters and personal accountability issues by creating false narratives involving respected public figures,” he wrote.

Leope stressed that while he would cooperate with any lawful investigation, he reserved his legal rights over what he described as defamatory claims.

He insisted that he has had no part in any kind of wrongdoing.

“Let me be clear: I have not participated in any illegal activity. I have not benefited from any improper conduct. I have not influenced any legal or administrative processes unlawfully. I have not colluded with any individual or institution inappropriately,” he wrote.

On Monday, Behari alleged that an internal disciplinary process involving former chief operating officer Lesiba Mojapelo had been abruptly halted when evidence began pointing to Nciza and Leope.

Behari told the commission that he encountered internal resistance when attempting to pursue further evidence.

ALSO READ: Evidence leaders to seek postponement of Nkabinde Inquiry on Monday

“I did not get instructions from the city manager; I got instructions from my HOD at the time and the HOD HR. Apparently, Nciza was close to him,” Behari testified.

He told the commission that the SIU probe had identified significant gaps, worsened by non-cooperation from municipal witnesses, and said he pushed internally for the two music executives to be called to testify.

Behari further suggested that his insistence on due process had contributed to professional backlash; and that his broader attempts to raise concerns on issues ranging from land acquisition to expenditure irregularities had routinely triggered pushback.

Leope ended his statement, calling on everyone to be cautious of allegations that have not been corroborated.

“I urge the public, media, and stakeholders to exercise caution, verify facts, and avoid amplifying unverified claims that serve only to mislead and harm innocent parties,” he wrote.

The Madlanga Commission continues its hearings this week.

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Democratic Alliance MP Dianne Kohler-Barnard on Thursday rejected allegations by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi that she leaked or misused classified Crime Intelligence information.

She told parliament’s ad hoc committee that the allegations against her were based on a misunderstanding of oversight processes and timelines.

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Leading MPs through her affidavit and her experience in parliamentary oversight, Kohler-Barnard said Mkhwanazi’s allegations — that she raised secret intelligence matters in an open forum and obtained the information through the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI) — were “factually impossible”, because the communications he cited predated her membership of the intelligence oversight committee.

“All of the communications by me, at which I understand Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi’s allegation to be levelled, occurred prior to my membership of the JSCI,” she told the committee.

Kohler-Barnard said media reporting about Crime Intelligence’s procurement of luxury hotel properties at inflated prices surfaced in January 2025, before the current JSCI was constituted in early April 2025.

“That was the first I heard of this,” she said, referring to an article she encountered on 13 January 2025. “The JSCI did not exist at that stage. It was put together on 1 April. All of this happened way before. I have no idea how the information about the hotels came to be in the newspapers,” she said.

The hearing forms part of Parliament’s investigation into allegations Mkhwanazi aired in a public briefing in July 2025 and has raised in the Madlanga Commission, including claims that Kohler-Barnard leaked classified material and, at one point, was linked to what he described as a “criminal syndicate”.

Although he did not repeat the syndicate allegation in the same terms in the committee process, Kohler-Barnard told MPs that his revised position represented “a dilution of the earlier allegations” but remained unfounded.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Steenhuisen says he is exiting DA leadership race to focus on devastating foot-and-mouth outbreak

“There is no merit to Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi’s allegations that I obtained knowledge of the property purchases as a result of my position on the current JSCI, or that I leaked classified information relating to the two properties in my press statements. It would have been impossible for me to do so,” she said.

Under questioning from evidence leader Advocate Norman Arendse, Kohler-Barnard said her reaction to Mkhwanazi’s July 2025 briefing was mixed. “What I heard was a very frustrated officer who felt let down by the system,” she said, adding that while some allegations appeared “real, honourable and honest”, others required proof and were now properly before the committee.

Kohler-Barnard also used her testimony to say that failures in procurement oversight, covert spending controls and vetting processes within Crime Intelligence have been raised repeatedly over the years, and warned that weak security-clearance systems can undermine the use of intelligence-derived evidence.

ALSO READ: KZN SAPS deny Senona was forced out of office, say ‘unusual events’ triggered seizure of state devices

She declined to confirm details of a report by the Inspector-General of Intelligence that was leaked to the media in late January, but said the findings were “extremely disturbing”, and noted that previous commitments to release a report on the property deals had not materialised.

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National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza has declined, for now, to approve attempts by the ad hoc committee investigating allegations of criminal infiltration and political interference in the criminal justice system to subpoena forensic investigator Paul O’ Sullivan and businessman and political fixer Brown Mogotsi.

ALSO READ: Didiza tells ad hoc committee to engage security concerns before summoning Mogotsi, O’Sullivan  

Didiza said in response to separate letters about summoning the men that the instruction to issue a summons may only be given after the Speaker agrees with the committee’s resolution, and that concurrence cannot be exercised arbitrarily.

Any decision to issue summonses must rest on the legally required grounds, including whether a witness has failed or refused, without sufficient cause, to appear.

Regarding Mogotsi, Didiza said the committee had addressed costs such as accommodation, flights, transfers and subsistence, but “did not engage with his personal security concerns”, after he requested a security detail for himself and his immediate family.  

“I am advised that should this matter proceed to court, Parliament will be required to demonstrate that it engaged Mr Mogotsi on the reasonableness of his personal security proposals ie the nature, form, size and the reasons for the proposed security detail, together with the attendant cost thereof,” Didiza wrote.

ALSO READ: Nipah virus outbreak no immediate threat to SA, says health department

Regarding O’Sullivan, Didiza said the committee had been told he was overseas and planned to return towards the end of February. He has requested permission to testify virtually, citing both his absence from South Africa and concerns about his personal security.

Didiza said it was clear from the correspondence before her that the committee did not engage with the reasons provided in his virtual-appearance application, and instead focused on concerns about the tone of his correspondence.

She also noted that he offered to testify at a South African embassy on condition that no public statement was made about which embassy it was.

“In the premises, I am loathe to grant concurrence in circumstances where there is an absence of demonstrable proof that the Committee has indeed engaged with Mr O’Sullivan’s reasons regarding his application to appear before the Committee virtually,” she wrote.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Matlala relationship complicates Senona saga as police enforce security over laptop and car meetings

Didiza asked the committee to convene to give due consideration to the security proposals and the virtual-testimony request, and said she would like to receive copies of its minutes and resolutions in future, when it invokes subpoena powers.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to establish a special investigations task team to urgently probe allegations emerging from the Madlanga Commission has become the centrepiece of the state’s response to mounting claims of corruption, criminality, and political interference within the country’s criminal justice system.

ALSO READ: Thabo Bester joins Cat Matlala in Kokstad’s fortress prison eBongweni Super Maximum Correctional Centre

The task team, announced in the wake of the submission of the Commission’s interim report in December last year, has been mandated to fast-track criminal and disciplinary investigations against senior SAPS officers and current and former officials linked to the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality who were found to have prima facie cases to answer.

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia confirmed that the task team would work alongside existing law-enforcement structures but with a specific focus on the individuals identified by the Commission; stressing that the interim findings had crossed a threshold that justified immediate action.

“On the basis of that evidence, we are now able to initiate disciplinary processes as well as to set up a special investigation team with a mandate to investigate criminal conduct on the basis of these prima facie findings,” Cachalia said in a recent SABC interview.

He added that he had also recommended that the implicated officers be placed on precautionary suspension while investigations are under way.

According to the Presidency, the special investigations task team will be led by a yet to be confirmed senior official who will report directly to SAPS National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola.

ALSO READ: Khumalo tells ad hoc committee ‘misinformation campaign’ targeted Crime Intelligence reforms

Ramaphosa instructed Cachalia and Masemola to constitute the unit as a matter of urgency, stressing that delays would further erode public trust in law-enforcement institutions.

In its interim report, the Commission identified prima facie evidence of wrongdoing by five SAPS members: Major Generals Lesetja Senona and Richard Shibiri, Brigadiers Mbangwa Nkhwashu and Rachel Matjeng, and Sergeant Fannie Nkosi.

It also flagged nine current and former Ekurhuleni officials, including suspended EMPD Chief Commissioner Julius Mkhwanazi, several metro police officers, former city manager Imogen Mashazi, and senior legal and human resources officials.

The allegations referred for investigation range from corruption and fraud to perjury and murder.

Ramaphosa has emphasised that the allegations contained in the interim report remain prima facie and do not constitute final findings.

ALSO READ: Dion George quits DA, cites “intolerable” rift with Steenhuisen

Several implicated individuals are still expected to return to the Commission to respond to the claims against them, and further witnesses are due to testify.

In a related announcement, spokesperson for the President, Vincent Magwenya has stated that the Presidency has decided to wait for suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to return to the commission, and respond to additional allegations, before making a decision on the subsequent legal course.

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Suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on Tuesday night rejected allegations made by an undercover criminal intelligence operative, known as Witness E, at the Madlanga Commission earlier in the day, calling the testimony “inaccurate and untruthful”.

“I deny the allegations he makes about me, including the interactions on his statements,” Mchunu said in a statement, adding that his legal team was dealing with the matter.

ALSO READ: Insane amount of money being spent on RAF legal fees, Zibi says

Mchunu said he would respond formally to the allegations when he next appeared before the commission.

During his testimony on Tuesday, Witness E alleged that the former minister pressured him to provide a statement to the commission that would favour Mchunu.  

He told the inquiry that Mchunu had repeatedly contacted him from various phone numbers since last year, allegedly saying he believed his communications were being monitored.

According to Witness E, Mchunu asked him to look for evidence of alleged abuses by the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), despite the witness telling him he had never worked with the unit and was unaware of any victims of alleged abuse.

He further alleged that Mchunu dictated elements of a proposed statement for submission to lawyers and possible use before the commission.

The statement, Witness E claimed, was intended to allege that crime intelligence had supplied unlicensed firearms and a stolen vehicle, via a secret service account, to hitmen implicated in the 2017 assassination of former ANCYL secretary general, Sindiso Magaqa.  

ALSO READ: Senona describes Matlala as “a younger brother”, claims Mkhwanazi threatened him

The statement also allegedly sought to implicate Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo in covering up wrongdoing by members of the unit.

Witness E said Mchunu had asked him who the police members were who were involved in the assassination. He said Mchunu also asked him if Khumalo had been involved.

“I told him [that in] July 2017, General Khumalo was not part of Crime Intelligence and not in KZN. I made it clear to the minister that Khumalo was not involved in the assassination and only came to know of him later on.”

He said he refused to comply and instead misled Mchunu into believing he would draft the statement, despite having no intention of doing so.

The commission continues.

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Former national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane is expected to take the witness stand on Wednesday as Parliament’s ad hoc committee resumes hearings into allegations of corruption, political interference and criminal infiltration within South Africa’s justice system.

Phahlane’s testimony is anticipated to focus, among other issues, on claims made by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s chief of staff, Cedrick Nkabinde, regarding alleged interference in investigations involving the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), former IPID head Robert McBride and private forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan.

The ad hoc committee was established in 2025 to probe explosive allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who accused senior figures within the police and justice system of corruption, abuse of power and political manipulation.

Phahlane’s appearance is expected to provide critical context on the functioning of IPID during his tenure as national commissioner, the relationship between senior SAPS leadership and the watchdog body, and the role played by external actors such as O’Sullivan.

Committee members are also expected to interrogate links raised during testimony between O’Sullivan and former IPID head Robert McBride.

The resumption of hearings comes after the committee adjourned last year and adopted a revised programme, following a second and final extension of its mandate until 20 February.

Committee chairperson Soviet Lekganyane has warned that MPs are under intense pressure to complete hearings, assess evidence and compile a credible final report within weeks.

“The revised programme will determine whether we finish strong or fall short,” Lekganyane said, adding that the scale and seriousness of the allegations may require further sittings.

Oral hearings are scheduled to run from 14 January to 6 February, with the objective of completing all witness testimony by early February.

This would allow time for drafting, consultation and adoption of the final report before the mandate expires.

Following Phahlane’s appearance, the committee is expected to hear testimony from Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo over two days, followed by Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi and former IPID head Robert McBride.

The inquiry also intends to hear from North West businessman Brown Mogotsi and forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan, both of whom have requested to testify virtually, citing security concerns.

However, MPs across party lines have firmly rejected virtual hearings for key witnesses.

Subsequently, O’Sullivan refused to appear in person before the committee, citing serious threats to his life which he says stem directly from testimony by Mkhwanazi.

In written submissions to the committee, O’Sullivan argued that remarks made by Mkhwanazi amounted to an incitement to violence, placing him in immediate danger should he return to South Africa.

He accused Parliament of failing to intervene or caution the commissioner over statements he believes encouraged “drastic action” against him.

O’Sullivan pointed to the December killing of Madlanga Commission witness Marius van der Merwe as evidence of the real risks faced by individuals exposing alleged corruption within law enforcement.

Despite mounting political pressure, O’Sullivan has maintained that appearing physically before Parliament would be unsafe.

As hearings resume, the committee faces a defining test: whether it can compel reluctant witnesses to appear, reconcile sharply conflicting versions of events, and deliver findings that withstand legal and political scrutiny before its mandate expires.

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Suspended acting head of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) and deputy chief, Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi, is currently testifying before the Madlanga Commission.

He is expected to face an extensive list of allegations involving unlawful conduct, questionable appointments, and claims that senior leaders shielded him from accountability.

Mkhwanazi, long portrayed by witnesses as a law unto himself within the EMPD, is accused of evading disciplinary action for years despite multiple criminal probes and internal findings against him.

Central to the case is the claim that former Ekurhuleni City Manager Dr Imogen Mashazi protected him from any meaningful oversight – an accusation she strongly denies – even as testimony before the commission paints a very different picture.

A key focus of Wednesday’s proceedings will be Mkhwanazi’s alleged 2021 decision to unlawfully sign memorandums of understanding with two companies linked to tender tycoon Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.

These arrangements allowed Matlala’s private security and medical vehicles to be registered as municipal vehicles and fitted with blue lights, giving his convoys the appearance of official EMPD escorts.

Evidence previously presented showed that Mkhwanazi authorised the installation of the state-owned blue lights on Matlala’s cars, even though Matlala was already facing serious criminal charges, including attempted murder.

Former head of employee relations, Xolani Nciza, testified that disciplinary charges against Mkhwanazi relating to the Matlala deal were halted in June 2023, alleging that Mashazi intervened to prevent any consequences.

In addition to the blue-light saga, Mkhwanazi is expected to answer questions about a troubling case involving a Brakpan man whose body was found dumped in a dam near Nigel. The commission has heard allegations that Mkhwanazi was called to the deceased’s home to assist EMPD members and private security personnel in cleaning up the murder scene.

He is further accused of unlawfully pushing through 55 senior appointments and promotions within the EMPD without following due process, reinforcing testimony that he ran what some witnesses have described as a rogue unit inside the metro police.

Mkhwanazi was officially suspended by the City of Ekurhuleni on 11 November, following mounting pressure and accumulating allegations ventilated at the commission.

The commission’s evidence leader, senior counsel Advocate Mahlape Sello SC, supported by fellow evidence leader Advocate Ofentse Motlhasedi, will lead Mkhwanazi through the extensive claims against him as he takes the stand.

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