Suspended Ekurhuleni head of human resources Linda Gxasheka claims to have initiated the suspension of Julius Mkhwanazi despite being warned he is “dangerous”.
Gxasheka is accused of working with former municipal manager Imogen Mashazi to protect Mkhwanazi, the suspended metro police deputy chief, from being subjected to a disciplinary action hearing for fraud allegations.
However, both have denied the allegations.
Gxakashe said the allegations of Mkhwanazi fitting blue lights to a fleet belonging to Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala were brought to her attention in February 2023 via WhatsApp by former employee relations department head Xolani Nciza, who was his subordinate at the time.
The message had a video clip showing a vehicle fitted with blue lights and its registration was included in the caption.
She said Nciza subsequently requested a meeting to discuss Mkhwanazi’s suspension.
“A few days later a meeting was held; Xolani [Nciza] and EMPD chief Jabulani Mapiyeye [Mkhwanazi’s superior] engaged me. The conversation changed very fast and Mapiyeye focused on how dangerous Mkhwanazi was and was scared of him,” she said, adding that Mapiyeye told them that he was beefing up security at his home.
She said Mapiyeye also organised security for Nciza.
Eventually Gxasheka said she left the meeting without signing the suspension and Mapiyeye kept on calling, telling her to sign it.
“I have a professional duty despite being safe or not. Chair, I want it to be recorded that I ultimately signed the intention to suspend despite no security risk assessment,” she said.
She said Mapiyeye promised to get her security detail but never delivered on the promise.
Gxasheka also denied allegations by Nciza that she advised Mkhwanazi not to accept a charge sheet.
“Games are being played here,” adding that Nciza and the Mojang attorneys were sending the charge sheet to each other instead of sending it to Mkhwanazi.
Gxasheka also told the commission that the blue lights saga allegations and rogue criminal elements within the EMPD that have come out of the inquiry were just a glimpse.
“Chairperson, with all due respect, your task team has limited scope, and in Ekurhuleni, what we are dealing with here is just a small tip of the iceberg.
“And I am hoping the new task team announced by the president will also look at the other things as well,” she said.
Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga then asked Gxasheka what she meant. She responded that there are about 40 forensic investigations that are completed and the city is yet to implement their recommendations.
In her examples, Gxasheka spoke about another ongoing investigation wherein the allegations are that city tractor-loader-backhoe (TLBs) are being stolen and sold in the Eastern Cape.
She further told the commission that there was another incident in which a company that is not in the city supplier database was receiving payments from the council.
She said after the investigations revealed who the key suspect was, a unionist instructed her to settle the matter in the suspect’s favour or her house would be shot at.
About a week ago, the city formally charged the head of legal service, Kemi Behari, and Gxasheka, two months after placing them on suspension.
Last month, President Cyril Ramaphosa revealed that the Madlanga commission’s interim report recommended that Gxasheka and Behari, among several others, be subjected to a criminal investigation.
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