Some political parties in Ekurhuleni disappointed with the move not to suspend EMPD's Mkhwanazi 

Some political parties in Ekurhuleni are disappointed over the city council’s decision to reject a motion to suspend Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi.

The council met on Thursday to consider Mkhwanazi’s fate following allegations linking him to suspected underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.

Mkhwanazi is accused of unlawfully providing blue lights to Matlala, which were later fitted onto his personal vehicles.

Although the council rejected the bid for his suspension, Mkhwanazi applied for special leave, which was approved by the city.

The ANC, EFF, ActionSA, and AIC jointly voted against the motion to suspend Mkhwanazi.

They argued that the authority to suspend a senior EMPD official rests with the city manager and not the city council.

Chairperson for the Independent Ratepayers Association of South Africa, Izak Berg, who brought forward the motion, said that political parties must take action rather than wait for the city’s administrative officials.

"I am very disappointed. I brought the motion because the acting city manager failed in his duties to suspend the acting chief of police. If senior officials fail to do their job, councillors and political parties need to step in and take action against the officials. It’s a matter of national interest at the moment and the rest of South Africa is looking at us to see how we’re going to deal with the matter. In 2023, Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s partner was seen on Instagram taking her children to school in a car fitted with blue lights. It later emerged that those blue lights belonged to the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department and were allegedly given to Matlala by Mkhwanazi."

Meanwhile, the ANC said that the city manager must be given space to decide Mkhwanazi’s fate.