Ekurhuleni Mayor Xhakaza calls urgent council meeting to discuss alleged misconduct of EMPD's Mkhwanazi

GERMISTON - Ekurhuleni Mayor Doctor Xhakaza has called an urgent council meeting on Tuesday to discuss why metro police deputy chief, Julius Mkhwanazi, was never subjected to disciplinary action over his alleged misconduct.

The council is meeting behind closed doors on Tuesday afternoon to address claims of criminal infiltration within the EMPD.

Last week, the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry heard shocking testimony alleging that Brigadier Mkhwanazi unlawfully entered the EMPD into a contract with suspected underworld figure Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala.

That contract resulted in Matlala’s private security company, Cat VIP Protection, being issued EMPD blue lights, some of which were allegedly fitted to his personal vehicles.

In 2023, police watchdog IPID was roped in to investigate Mkhwanazi after he signed a fraudulent memorandum of agreement with Matlala’s private security company.

IPID found that Mkhwanazi had acted unlawfully and recommended the city institute disciplinary action against him.

But that never happened.

Instead, Mkhwanazi was promotedand appointed as the EMPD’s second-in-command.

Xhakaza said the city must now get to the bottom of why IPID’s recommendations were ignored.

"I have requested the Speaker of Council to convene an extraordinary council meeting to brief council on the status of the ongoing process, including the reasons behind the 2023 decision not to institute disciplinary proceedings arising from alleged misconduct by Brigadier Mkhwanazi, recorded in that internal investigation."

Mkhwanazi was only suspended last week, which is two years after IPID recommended disciplanry action against him.