Former Imogen Mashazi has strongly rejected claims that she shielded the suspended acting head of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD), Julius Mkhwanazi, from corruption charges and disciplinary action. Her testimony before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry was described by supporters as a call for accountability — and by critics as a defiant refusal to admit wrongdoing.
Mashazi told the Commission that allegations she interfered with attempts to charge Mkhwanazi with fraud and corruption were “nothing but baseless lies.” She insisted she had no involvement in any disciplinary process regarding him. In her view, previous claims — which said she blocked efforts to hold Mkhwanazi accountable — remain unproven and contradictory.
She challenged the Commission to demand concrete evidence from those earlier witnesses. “If there is proof,” she said, “let it be produced.”
What’s at the centre of the row: the “blue‑lights” deal and forged memorandums
At the heart of the controversy is a scandal involving purported cooperation between the EMPD and a private security firm linked to convicted tender‑preneur Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala. The Commission has heard that Mkhwanazi allegedly entered into fraudulent memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with Matlala’s companies, giving them unlawful policing powers — including the use of blue lights and municipal registration for private vehicles.
According to testimony from former HR director Xolani Nciza, these MOUs were never approved by the city manager or the municipal council, and therefore had no legitimate standing. The documents were instead circulated as if official, effectively giving Matlala’s companies undue power and cover to operate like a branch of the EMPD.
Moreover, a video shown to the Commission reportedly captured Mkhwanazi publicly pledging loyalty to Mashazi at a municipal gathering — a pledge that critics interpret as a sign of an improper, possibly nepotistic bond.
The counter‑narrative: Mashazi says she was unaware
During her defence, Mashazi insisted she neither knew about nor approved the alleged MOUs. She described them as outside Mkhwanazi’s powers, and said she did not know whether they had even been implemented.
She argued that the large volume of emails, documents and city business made it impossible to be involved in or aware of every detail — particularly a purported back‑door deal such as the Cat Matlala arrangements. “You can imagine the amount of work and the emails that one receives on a daily basis,” she said.
On that basis, she asked the Commission to demand substantial proof from those claiming she obstructed justice or protected Mkhwanazi.
High stakes: why this matters
The Commission is investigating widespread allegations of corruption, political interference, and criminality within municipal law enforcement — including fraud, misuse of city resources, and allegations of murder and theft linked to rogue police units.
The case has already had significant consequences: Mkhwanazi was officially suspended by the City of Ekurhuleni on 11 November 2025, following recommendations from an internal audit triggered by evidence presented to the Commission.
City leadership has also committed to launching an internal investigation into broader mismanagement and structural failures inside the EMPD.
What critics are saying
Several former municipal employees — including Nciza — have testified that disciplinary action against Mkhwanazi was deliberately blocked. They allege that Mashazi, along with senior HR and legal officials, manipulated internal rules and personnel structures to give Mkhwanazi impunity. Staff loyal to Mashazi reportedly received salary increases and other job security in return for compliance.
One witness described the municipal culture as “rooted in corruption, irregularities, and no regard for the law.”
What happens next
The hearing of Mashazi’s evidence continues as the Commission prepares for the testimony of suspended national police minister Senzo Mchunu. Through its proceedings, the Madlanga Commission aims to establish whether there was enduring institutional collusion to suppress accountability — or whether the allegations against Mashazi are indeed unfounded as she claims.
For now, the fate of Mkhwanazi — and the reputations of several high‑ranking municipal officials — hang in the balance.
