Ex-Ekurhuleni boss under fire over appointment of deputy metro police chief

FORMER Ekurhuleni municipal manager Dr Imogen Mashazi is prepared to accept responsibility  for the potentially irregular appointment of Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi as deputy chief of the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD).

Mashazi conceded this when testifying before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, investigating political interference in the criminal justice system.

Her testimony followed suspended Police Chief Isaac Mapiyeye's recent allegations that Mkhwanazi's appointment was irregular, as the interview process lacked a competency assessment report. 

Mapiyeye, as the chief of police and chair of the interview panel, testified that the panel was not reconvened to consider Mkhwanazi's competency assessment report, leaving the interview process incomplete. 

Mkhwanazi, who is currently suspended, was previously appointed as acting police chief by Mashazi.

Mkhwanazi has been accused of facilitating unauthorised memorandums of understanding with CAT VIP Security and Medicare 24, companies linked to controversial businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, an alleged criminal kingpin.

On Monday, Mashazi testified that Mkhwanazi did not have the authority to enter into external agreements. 

Regarding Mkhwanazi's appointment as deputy chief, Mashazi stated that she was not involved in the process because she was on leave at the time.

Evidence leader Advocate Mahlape Sello SC confronted Mashazi with Mapiyeye's testimony, highlighting that the interview panel was not reconvened to consider Mkhwanazi's competency assessment report.

Mashazi said: “The process can't be valid if the competency assessments were not done.” 

Mashazi repeatedly stated that Linda Qasheqa, the head of human resources for Ekurhuleni, would provide more insight into the appointment process, as it fell under her purview.

When asked if she would accept responsibility for the potentially irregular appointment, she replied: “I do.”

Mashazi was also questioned about appointing Mkhwanazi as acting police chief in May 2024 and again in September 2024, following Mapiyeye's suspension amid sexual harassment allegations. 

She defended Mkhwanazi's appointment as acting police chief, citing his qualification as deputy police chief. This despite the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) report recommending disciplinary action against Mkhwanazi due to his dealings with Matlala's companies.

According to her, there were no issues with Mkhwanazi's appointment, following legal advice she obtained from the head of Corporate Legal Services for Ekurhuleni, Advocate Kemi Behari, that the IPID report was insufficient.

As the deputy chief, Mkhwanazi has been accused of irregularly appointing and promoting over 50 senior officers without approval from Mapiyeye. 

Mapiyeye had written a letter to Mashazi, expressing concerns about Mkhwanazi's irregular appointments, saying they were made without his authorisation and were not advertised.

Mashazi said: “These recruitments do not form part of my scope. Chief of police (Mapiyeye) wrote to me about his unhappiness with these appointments.” 

She, however, said she fully agreed with Mapiyeye that he should have been consulted on the appointments.

When asked about steps she took to reverse the irregular appointments, Mashazi initially replied, “Nothing”,  but quickly retracted, stating: “I do not recall.”

Cape Times