By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Ekurhuleni City Council has rejected a motion to suspend Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) Acting chief Julius Mkhwanazi, after taking voluntary special leave.
Mkhwanazi stands accused of facilitating the illegal transfer of city-owned vehicles—specifically those equipped with blue lights—to Matlala, a private businessman currently detained on serious criminal charges. Matlala’s alleged offences include attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and fraud.
The vehicles in question include a BMW X5, a Mercedes-Benz C-Class, a BMW 3-Series, and a VW Golf, all registered under Matlala’s private security company instead of the municipality.
The motion was tabled by the Chairperson for the Independent Ratepayers’ Association of South Africa, Izak Berg.
Ekurhuleni City Council met on Thursday to decide whether Mkhwanazi should be suspended.
Ekurhuleni Community Safety MMC Sizakele Masuku told the council sitting to discuss a motion to place Mkhwanazi on precautionary suspension, that he has been placed on special leave.
Masuku says Mkhwanazi has applied for special leave to allow the investigations into these allegations to take place without any hindrance.
“The development I can give the council now is that the acting chief of police is on special leave. He has written a letter that he is going on special leave so that he is not there during the process because it’s still allegations.”
The allegations came to light during the testimony of KZN Police Commissioner Lt-Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
He claimed that Mkhwanazi assisted Matlala in registering private vehicles under the municipality and illegally fitting them with blue lights — typically reserved for emergency and law enforcement vehicles.
However, both the Ekurhuleni Municipality and Mkhwanazi have vehemently denied the claims, asserting that all documentation and processes followed the law.
“Everything was done properly and fairly,” said Mkhwanazi, adding that Lt-Gen. Mkhwanazi was misinformed about the allegations.
The municipality further clarified that it has formal public-private partnership (PPP) agreements in place with several private security companies — including Matlala’s — to support law enforcement and bolster crime-fighting initiatives.
However Fullview learnt that the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) report, dated August 2023, alleges a coordinated scheme between Matlala and Mkhwanazi to transfer city-owned vehicles to Matlala’s private company fraudulently.
IPID investigations found “wrongful behaviour” and that vehicles originally registered to the City of Ekurhuleni mysteriously transferred ownership to CAT VIP on the National Traffic Information System (Enatis) by March 2023, months after the municipality officially registered them.
Meanwhile Executive Mayor of Ekurhuleni, Nkosindiphile Xhakaza has sung Mkhwanazi’s praises, and many believe that he is anointed to take over the role of Chief of Police.