Madlanga Commission: Suspended Tshwane security boss back in the hot seat

The suspended director of Tshwane’s asset protection security unit, Tshukudu Malatji, is expected back in the Madlanga Commission hot seat on Thursday.

Tshukudu is likely to be pressed on his denial that he was not the one who gave authority for the implicated company, Gubis 85 Solutions, to receive ad-hoc security work.

The commission has heard testimony about how the company was given preferential treatment for work, leading to the municipality exceeding its security budget.

Testimony before the commission has implicated junior Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) officer inspector Lebogang Phiri as the one who signed off on the deployment letters of Gubis 85 Solutions to guard some of municipality’s infrastructure sites.

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When Malatji appeared before the commission earlier this month, he testified that Phiri was not authorised to do this.

“It's myself who is authorised or I can, with instruction, allow Dr Madihlaba or Phiri or any other to say allocate the work.”

Co-commissioner Sandile Khulamo asked: “In January and February 2025, did you issue such an instruction to Phiri and Madihlaba?”

“I did not, commissioner,” replied Malatji.

But when Phiri testified at the commission last week, he provided emails showing that Malatji instructed him to deploy the security guards at some of the city’s infrastructure sites.

“I wish to categorically place on record that I derived my authority to issue instructions for ad-hoc security deployments directly from Director Tshukudu Malatji, and the instruction to run the process and handling of ad-hoc for water and sanitation was issued on 9th of January.”

On Thursday, proceedings are set to focus on Tshukudu's cross-examination on some apparent contradictions in his previous evidence.