The former Ekurhuleni city manager denied any role in the decision to lift Mkhwanazi’s first suspension.
Former Ekurhuleni city manager Imogen Mashazi appeared to contradict herself regarding who held the authority to discipline Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi, all while distancing herself from any role in lifting his initial suspension.
Mashazi testified on Monday in Pretoria before the Madlanga commission, which is probing allegations of political meddling, corruption, and criminal misconduct within the justice sector.
She faces accusations that she leveraged her position to shield Mkhwanazi – who was suspended last month – from disciplinary action.
Imogen Mashazi testifies
During her testimony, Mashazi addressed claims that she interfered in the internal affairs of the EMPD.
She explained that suspended EMPD chief Isaac Mapiyeye was appointed as a senior manager under the Municipal Systems Act, making him directly answerable to her.
“Even his employment contract, he reports to me directly. He doesn’t report to council,” she told the commission.
Mashazi denied arrogating Mapiyeye’s powers to herself, though she conceded that she never sought legal clarity on the EMPD chief’s authority, calling this a “grey area”.
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She was questioned about two alleged memoranda of agreement (MOA) between the EMPD and tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s companies – Cat VIP Protection Services and healthcare firm Medicare24 Tshwane District.
Evidence previously presented indicated that the first agreement, signed on 13 October 2021, resulted in Matlala’s vehicles being illegally fitted with blue lights.
Mashazi said she had no knowledge of the deals as the accounting officer and regarded them as “irregular”.
“The two documents were never brought to my attention.”
She added that Mkhwanazi, who had signed both documents, lacked the authority to enter into such agreements.
Ipid report on EMPD deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi
On accusations that she ignored an Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) report involving Mkhwanazi, Mashazi insisted that her role as city manager did not permit her to “participate” in disciplinary processes involving junior officials
Instead, she referred the matter to Ekurhuleni’s head of legal services, Kemi Behari, and to Mapiyeye.
She pointed out that Mapiyeye was responsible for acting against Mkhwanazi.
“Julius being one of his subordinates, he was supposed to do that.”
However, she was confronted with a video in which she appeared to claim responsibility for disciplining Mkhwanazi as he “reports to me”.
In that February 2025 interview, she also described the Ipid report as “vague” and said she was “unable to discipline anyone”.
Mashazi also claimed in the interview that an independent investigation by the Ekurhuleni Municipality had found that Mkhwanazi had “done nothing wrong” and was “cleared” of fraud and corruption allegations.
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She added that she did not “understand” the report and remarked that Ipid should simply arrest him if it has grounds to do so.
Regarding the internal audit report mentioned in the same interview, Mashazi told the commission on Monday that Behari was the appropriate person to speak to its findings.
She confirmed receiving the report from Ekurhuleni chief audit executive Phillip Rakgwale, but could not recall when.
Explaining her comment that the Ipid report was “vague”, she said this was based on advice from Behari.
She also criticised the Ipid report as containing “gross misconduct” because it lacked necessary attachments, saying it required action from the city.
Mashazi further tried to clarify the apparent contradiction in her statements by arguing that she was referring to Mkhwanazi’s position at the time.
Because he was then acting EMPD chief, she viewed him as a senior manager rather than a junior employee.
“At the point of the report and the signing of the memoranda, Mkhwanazi was a director. That’s why the responsibility of disciplining was resting in the authority of the chief of police, not the authority of the accounting officer.”
She admitted she did not “pay too much attention” to the internal audit report Behari was involved in preparing.
EMPD ‘donations’
Later in her testimony, Mashazi said she never authorised the R300 000 cadet training donation or the four vehicles provided by Matlala and received by Mkhwanazi.
“I never approved such donations.”
She emphasised that donations – also received by Mkhwanazi – to the EMPD required her approval under city policy, which she insisted was “very clear”.
Mashazi agreed that Mkhwanazi’s involvement in blue-lights matters amounted to a crime.
She denied knowing that vehicles were routinely fitted with blue lights and said such practice was both incorrect and unlawful.
Mkhwanazi’s suspension
Mashazi also rejected any role in the decision to lift Mkhwanazi’s initial suspension on 24 May 2023 or in his later redeployment.
Previous testimony alleged that Mashazi phoned Mapiyeye and former head of employee relations Xolani Nciza, directing them not to extend Mkhwanazi’s suspension while Ipid inquiries continued.
But Mashazi insisted she did not interfere in the process.
She denied calling either official to halt the disciplinary process and invited scrutiny of her cellphone records, saying her phone “is free” to be examined.
“I was far from this process,” she testified.
She added: “I wouldn’t tell who told them to stop. They must prove that I’ve called them or I wrote to them or I messaged them to stop”.
Nciza previously told the commission that Mashazi called him on 23 May 2023 in anger, accusing him and Mapiyeye of being intent on prolonging Mkhwanazi’s suspension.
According to him, she claimed that he and Mapiyeye “hate Julius” and should leave him alone.
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