Madlanga Commission | Julius Mkhwanazi loyalists in Ekurhuleni got over half a million salaries increases

Former City Manager of Ekurhuleni, Dr Imogen Mashazi, stopped disciplinary action against the suspended EMPD acting chief, Brig, Julius Mkhwanazi, and weeks later ordered a R600,000 salary increase for two officials who shielded him.

This was revealed by the former Ekurhuleni HR head Xolani Nciza at the Madlanga Commission on Wednesday in Pretoria.

According to Nciza, the reward was meant for Linda Gasheka and Advocate Kemi Behari, who remained loyal and followed protocol.

He affirmed that the timing was no coincidence.

“The disciplinary charges stopped on June 20. Two weeks later, a report appeared recommending R600,000 increases for Gasheka and Behari,” he said.

“That report had no basis. They were still on probation, barely four months into their appointments.”

This happened in 2023 between March and July. 

Nciza described the salary boosts as a “token of appreciation” from Mashazi to those who “aligned themselves to her instructions.”

“I can only suggest or opine, but thank you, you are aligning yourselves to the instructions. You have aligned yourselves to the instructions, you have aligned yourselves to what I want as a city manager.

“My person is not to be touched, and you have ensured that my person is not touched. Here is the increase,” he said.

Mkhwanazi is accused of running a rogue unit, named SWAT, of misconduct, forging documents and also undermining his superiors.

Nciza said the report recommending the pay hikes offered no justification, no new responsibilities, performance reviews or structural changes in the intervening months.

“What was in March is exactly what was in July,” he said. “Yet suddenly, they were awarded massive increases.”

Commission co-chair Advocate Sesi Baloyi questioned the legitimacy and also the agreement of the move, noting that there was no policy or contractual clause supporting such a raise during probation.

“There is a regulatory framework that sets upper limits for municipal managers’ remuneration, determined by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs,” Nciza said.

He added that “There is simply no provision for arbitrary adjustments like this.”

Nciza’s evidence painted a picture of a municipal administration allegedly bending rules to protect its own.

This was also testified by the former EMPD bosses, chief Jabulani Mapiyeye and his former deputy, Revo Spies.

kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za

IOL Politics