‘Julius Mkhwanazi gave free pass to Cat Matlala’s security vehicles’

The signed letters that suspended Ekurhuleni metro police chief Brig Julius Mkhwanazi gave to employees of tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala on behalf of the city meant they could not be searched at roadblocks.

This was revealed by former Ekurhuleni HR employee Xolani Nciza during the Madlanga commission of inquiry on Wednesday.

Nciza said the city only became aware of this alleged 2021 memorandum of agreement between the city and Matlala’s CAT VIP security company in 2023 when they were investigating allegations that Mkhwanazi had fitted blue lights in the company’s fleet. The metro did not know about the agreement that Mkhwanazi had entered into with the company.

“If you recall, during Covid, we had similar letters given to essential service workers. Now, what those letters did ... it meant that even if they [Matlala’s workers] met the police at a roadblock and issued this letter, they would be let go. Their cars won’t be searched,” said Nciza.

“And now you will note that one of the biggest problems is the trafficking of illicit goods and so a person bearing this letter would be able to traffic goods and all sorts of things,” he said.

According to the letters, the Ekurhuleni metro police department [EPMD] had an endless relationship with the CAT VIP protection, and Nciza said this was a misrepresentation of facts.

“Firstly, there is no working relationship [between CAT VIP and EMPD], let alone the endless one. He [Mkhwanazi] had endless ones, not the municipality, not the EMPD. What became clear during the investigations is that indeed there was a working relationship, which is not a working relationship of EMPD with CAT VIP, it is a working relationship that he [Mkhwanazi] has constructed outside the regulatory framework,” he said.

The letter does not indicate when the agreement came into effect or when it will end.

In 2023, Mkhwanazi was suspended when allegations of blue lights surfaced, but was later reinstated. The matter was referred to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate for further investigations, which would lead to prosecution.

Nciza told the commission that they could not extend the suspension, as he was lambasted by former city manager Imogen Mashazi.

“She told me that I must leave Julius [Mkhwanazi] alone. She told me that I will not extend his suspension. She even said, ”O nahana ke masepala wa hao [You think it is your municipality]," he said.

Nciza said after the call, Mashazi instructed him to reinstate Mkhwanazi with immediate effect.

Mkhwanazi has also been accused of a cover-up of the 2022 murder of a civilian who was tortured to death by metro cops. He is also accused of copper theft in Meyerton, on the Vaal, in 2022.

On Tuesday, the city placed Mkhwanazi on suspension again, stating that it was the recommendation of an internal audit investigation into allegations of misconduct.

City manager Kagiso Lerutla said: “The testimony emerging from the Madlanga commission is both shocking and deeply concerning. It points to systemic issues that this administration will not tolerate. We are unequivocally committed to clean governance, accountability and restoring public trust in our municipality.

Sowetan