Embattled Ekurhuleni metro police deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi, who was suspended after allegations made at the Madlanga commission of inquiry, is set to answer to 13 charges in the case against him, expected to start on Tuesday.
This follows Mkhwanazi’s failed 11th-hour bid to interdict the disciplinary process. His attempt was dismissed on Sunday, providing a green light for the matter to go ahead.
The charges against him include fraud, gross dishonesty and gross negligence.
According to the charge sheet, receipt of which Mkhwanazi acknowledged last month, the charges emanate from a memorandum of agreement with Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala’s company, which led to four of Matlala’s security company vehicles being fitted with blue lights.
“In and around December 2022 and January 2023, you unlawfully, dishonestly and/or fraudulently caused the registration of four motor vehicles owned by a third party (CAT VIP Security) on the eNatis system as assets of the City of Ekurhuleni.
“In the course of your instruction to register, you acted dishonestly and/or fraudulently by misrepresenting that the city had concluded a valid memorandum of agreement with a third party and that the vehicles have been donated to the city by a third party, to wit, the vehicles were never delivered to the city and no valid memorandum of understanding existed,” the charge sheet reads.
Additionally, it states that the use of the vehicles occurred without any vetting, verification or safety clearance as required.
It further states that as a result of his act, Ekurhuleni incurred an expense of R2,218 for the registration and licensing of the four vehicles, which amounted to wasteful expenditure.
Mkhwanazi was also warned that should he fail to attend the disciplinary proceedings, the hearing will continue in his absence.
Sowetan previously reported that the bodyguards driving the CAT vehicles fitted with blue lights were given letters enabling them to pass through any roadblock without being searched.
The letters claimed that the city had entered into a memorandum of agreement with CAT VIP.
The Madlanga commission of inquiry, which is probing allegations of criminality, political interference and corruption in the justice system, also recommended that Mkhwanazi be subjected to a criminal investigation.
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