REBONE TAU | Ekurhuleni needs bold, decisive leaders to reverse years of capture

There is clear municipal capture at the local government level. What we have heard at the Madlanga Commission gives us a sense of why there is a crisis of service delivery in local government. What has happened in Ekurhuleni shows that the municipality was captured.

The current administration led by Executive Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza seems to be very decisive, as we have seen senior municipal officials being suspended.

In most cases, leaders do not act decisively, yet we have seen action being taken even while the Madlanga Commission continues to hear testimonies.

We must commend the KZN Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, for calling that press briefing on 6 July 2025, as cartels have effectively taken over the state and are working with officials to capture it - in this case, the Ekurhuleni Municipality.

The testimony of Dr Imogen Mashazi, the former Ekurhuleni City Manager, at the Madlanga Commission shows that there is a serious crisis in the municipality and it will require a decisive leader like Xhakaza to restore good overnance.

As Joel Netshitenzhe famously stated, “Beneficiaries of state capture will not go down without a fight.” We may see pushback from those who have been benefitting financially in the city.

In recent days, an alleged video of Dr Mashazi circulating on social media reportedly shows her wearing expensive clothing and jewellery. It is alleged that the items she wore on one occasion cost more than R3 million. If this is true, we have a serious problem of officials allegedly living beyond their means.

There is a clear need for annual lifestyle audits. While the annual salary of a city manager is over R4 million, a lifestyle audit would reveal whether such officials can genuinely afford their lifestyles. It was the right move for the council to suspend her as city manager.

On the other hand, we have Deputy EMPD Chief JuliusMkhwanazi, who was reportedly receiving money from Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala in 2022, all of which happened under the DA administration.

The DA appears to have nothing to say about its time in Ekurhuleni, which is unusual given that it is usually vocal on matters of corruption.

We have heard how Matlala’s company allegedly provided security for the then-Mayor Tania Campbell. The DA should address this, as their member faced a serious security breach considering Matlala’s alleged criminal record.

I have never seen anyone sweat and drink water at a commission the way Julius did. At one point, when the Matlala story initially emerged, he denied having a relationship with him, yet at the commission he admitted they were close and that he had asked him for money.

The rot that has unfolded in Ekurhuleni shows that the country faces a deep crisis, and much more work is needed to fight corruption.

Political parties need to deploy more leaders like Xhakaza - people who are not afraid to make unpopular decisions even if it results in them being disliked by municipal officials.

A major problem is that some officials do not deserve the positions they hold and end up doing favours for specific politicians. I still question how Dr Mashazi was appointed twice as city manager. Her attitude at the commission revealed a lack of leadership qualities and a lack of respect.

The current administration in Ekurhuleni has a great deal of work ahead if it is to clean up the rot. Time is not on their side, with local government elections coming in November 2026. We need councillors who will do their work without fear or favour after next year’s elections if we expect good governance and proper service delivery to be prioritised.

When we talk about lifestyle audits, we should not only look at politicians but also officials, as they form the backbone of the system. Politicians come and go, but officials remain and sometimes even get promotions, as in Julius’s case.

Lifestyleaudits must be holistic if corruption is to be fought at all spheres of government. Everyone must understand the importance of transparency if we are to place good governance at the centre of service delivery in all municipalities.

Rebone Tau is a Political Commentator and author