By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Imogen Mashazi, Kemi Behari, Linda Gxasheka and Julius Mkhwanazi in the Germiston Magistrate’s Court. Image: Itumeleng English.
The Germiston Magistrate’s Court has granted R50,000 bail each to the Ekurhuleni Head of Legal Services Advocate Kemi Behari and suspended EMPD Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi.
Behari and Mkhwanazi appeared in court on Thursday and were joined by the former Human Resources Head, Linda Gxasheka and former Ekurhuleni City Manager, Imogen Mashazi.
All four face charges of fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice following their arrests on Wednesday, 8 July.
The state confirmed it would not oppose bail for Behari and Mkhwanazi.
The court rolled the case over to Friday for the bail applications of Mashazi and Gxasheka.
Their charges stems from their involvement in the unlawful installation of blue lights on four vehicles owned by cartel figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
The state told the court that the accused benefited financially.
According to the state, Mashazi’s actions resulted in Behari and Gxasheka receiving salary increments of R1.3 million each, while Mkhwanazi received just over R600 000.
The state requested a postponement to verify the residential addresses of Mashazi and Gxasheka.
The prosecutor indicated that Mashazi is linked to five properties, including locations in Bedfordview, Meyersdal, Brakpan, Waterfall Estate and Sunward Park.
Gxasheka, meanwhile, is associated with two Gauteng properties and another in the Eastern Cape.
Mashazi’s legal representative, Johan Eksteen, challenged the state’s claims, arguing that investigators had failed to properly verify the properties in question.
“She has never in her life stayed in Bedfordview,” the lawyer said.
Eksteen explained that Mashazi had merely rented the Meyersdal property and had temporarily lived in Waterfall through a lease between September 2025 and March 2026.
He also highlighted that the Sunward Park home had been sold in 2000 and confirmed that her current residence is in Brakpan.
Gxasheka’s lawyer confirmed her connection to the properties, but clarified that her primary residence is in Bedfordview, where she was arrested.
The other addresses relate to a rental property owned by her husband and his family home in the Eastern Cape.
The court granted bail of R50 000 each to Behari and Mkhwanazi, despite the state proposing R100 000.
Delivering his ruling, Magistrate Trevor Klaasen granted bail to Behari and Mkhwanazi but postponed judgment on the applications of Mashazi and Gxasheka until Friday.
“The application in respect of accused 1 and 3 is adjourned until tomorrow. Bail is granted in respect of accused 2 and 4 in the amount of R50,000 each under the following conditions,” Klaasen ruled.
As part of his bail conditions, Behari was ordered to surrender his travel documents to the investigating officer before the close of business on Thursday and report to the Brooklyn Police Station every Friday between 05:00 and 20:00 until the matter is finalised.
He was also prohibited from contacting municipal employees in the finance, human resources and procurement departments, except in relation to his disciplinary proceedings, and must notify the investigating officer before travelling outside Gauteng or leaving South Africa.
Mkhwanazi was similarly ordered to notify the investigating officer before any international travel.
Addressing the accused, Klaasen warned that failure to comply with the bail conditions could result in bail being revoked.
However, Behari and Mkhwanazi will spend an extra night in police cells because the bail office had closed before payment could be processed.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago has dismissed claims that the bail proceedings were rushed, saying delays during the hearing meant Mkhwanazi and Behari could not pay their R50,000 bail before the bail office closed, resulting in them spending the night in custody despite being granted bail.