By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The suspended Ekurhuleni Human Resources head Linda Gxasheka concluded her testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry at the Bridgette Mabandla Justice College in Tshwane.
Before proceedings began, Gxasheka’s legal team requested a postponement of her testimony.
Gxasheka’s legal representative, Emmah Magula, told the commission that large volumes of tender documents — approximately 411 pages — had been received late and required careful review before Gxasheka could respond.
“These are tender documents received in the early hours of the morning. They are voluminous and require thorough attention,” Magula said.
However, the commission resolved to proceed with testimony. Advocate Chaskalson undertook to limit questioning to specific sections of the documents, a compromise accepted by Gxasheka’s legal team.
Chaskalson took the commission through evidence suggesting that the wife of alleged underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala secured a multi-million-rand tender in the City of Ekurhuleni under questionable circumstances.
Documents presented before the commission reveal that Tsakani Baloyi-Matlala was awarded a contract valued at approximately R3.7 million.
According to Chaskalson, Baloyi-Matlala initially applied for the tender as director of a company identified as a shisanyama establishment, “Mokoko Grill”. The company name was later changed to Buena Vista Training Academy, described in documents as a municipal shell entity.
Further details suggest that the tender was allegedly secured two weeks before the official bidding closing date in June 2023.
“Let’s look at the bid price. It reflects seven programmes with a total bid price of R66 500. However, when we examine the municipality’s spreadsheet of payments to Buena Vista Learning Academy, we see that although the initial bid was R66 500, payments made between 23 July 2024 and 5 September 2025 totalled R3 484 987,” he said.
Gxasheka told the commission that she had previously recommended that procurement at the metro be awarded strictly to formally qualified bidders.
She said Heads of Department are not actively involved in tender adjudication, despite being aware of procurement intentions.
The industry classification for Buena Vista Learning Academy states that its core industry was construction, not training. So, there seems to be a fraud of some sort taking place here. Either it’s a VAT fraud, or this turnover figure is a fictitious figure, said Chaskalson.”
Either way, there is a fraud, either on the city or on the receiver. There definitely seems to be fraud against the city or the department of finance, because although the bid says we saw an annual turnover of R35 million, the CSD registration says the total annual turnover is R10 million or less. So one of those two figures must be lying, possibly both.”
“Without having technical knowledge, I fully agree. As I say, finance, they can answer better on this, but us, seeing here, I fully agree with you,” responded Gxasheka.
“From my level, it looks like there are some discrepancies. Unless they say they are training in the construction of buildings, I don’t know. But from what we see, I see those irregularities.”
Gxasheka also told the commission that the metro is facing challenges in securing suitably qualified officials, noting that the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) currently lacks an acting chief of police due to a shortage of eligible candidates.
“If we require formal qualifications — certificates, diplomas, honours or master’s degrees — it would improve the qualification profile of the city instead of relying on accumulated experience over time. Often employees do not complete formal qualifications,” Gxasheka said.
The commission also produced email trails outlining how the City of Ekurhuleni handles employees with criminal records. It heard that HR and EMPD officials met to agree on plans to “clean the house”.
Gxasheka revealed that there was a year-long delay in implementing the vetting process. She said she only followed up in April 2025 on a matter EMPD had been tasked in April 2024.
Placed on precautionary suspension in December 2025, Gxasheka faces charges after an internal city council resolution. She is also implicated in the Madlanga commission’s interim report which recommended further investigation.