By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry dismissed the suspended Tshwane Director for Asset Protection Services (APS) in the City of Tshwane Metro Police Tshukudu Malatji request to postpone his testimony.
Through his legal representative Sibusiso Nkosi, Malatji complained that he did not have enough time to prepare for his second appearance before the commission.
He requested a postponement, saying he needed to go through documents he received late, including some sent to him on Wednesday just before midnight.
However, the commission refused Malatji’s application for adjournment but gave him at least an hour to review the documents in question.
Malatji has been implicated in the alleged irregular allocation of ad hoc security sites to Gubis 85 Security Solutions Pty Ltd, particularly for failing to cancel the deployments after concerns were raised.
The inquiry heard that had the directive to cancel the deployments had been acted upon, the City of Tshwane could have saved approximately R90 million.
Malatji accused colleagues of orchestrating a smear campaign against him, suggesting they are attempting to link him to alleged kickbacks tied to the contracts.
He argued that discussions about Gubis85 took place at executive level in his absence and that responsibility should not rest solely with him.
Evidence before the commission indicates that Gubis85 received a disproportionate number of ad hoc security site allocations, with at least 42 site confirmation letters issued.
Malatji testified that he only became aware of the company’s involvement in 2024, following a complaint lodged by Gubis85 over unpaid invoices.
He said he then attempted to assist the company while liaising with the Department of Water and Sanitation, which was allegedly involved in facilitating payments.
He denied instructing suspended TMPD official, Lebogang Phiri, to allocate sites to Gubis85, saying any such actions were not authorised by him.
Malatji said he later became aware of emails exchanged between senior TMPD officials regarding outstanding payments to Gubis85.
This contradicts Phiri’s earlier testimony, in which he claimed Malatji directed him to oversee site allocations following internal communications involving senior officials.
The commission’s chair, Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, criticised Malatji for failing to act once he became aware of the situation.
Meanwhile the commission has written to suspended Mpumalanga police commissioner Daphney Manamela following her damning claims against senior police officials.
The commission has asked Manamela for an affidavit and evidence to support the explosive allegations, which fall within the commission’s terms of reference, that were made during a press briefing earlier this month.
Among the senior officials she implicated was suspended National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola and former Police Minister Bheki Cele, whom she accused of corruption, interference in investigations, and attempts to block her return to office.
Manamela was first suspended in 2023 following a forensic report alleging she received over R2 million in state-funded gifts and promoted “undeserving” officers.
She later faced more allegations of wrongdoing, including the misuse of state vehicles, insulting colleagues, and illegal CCTV installations.