Ekurhuleni is gripped by a corruption scandal as the city council debates the suspension of two senior officials implicated in protecting a suspended Metro Police deputy chief. The closed-door meeting on Thursday will decide the fate of Kemi Behari, head of legal services, and Linda Gxasheka, head of human resources.
These officials are accused of shielding Julius Mkhwanazi, the suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief, from accountability. The accusations stem from the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, which is investigating alleged corruption within the EMPD.
A 2023 report by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) recommended disciplinary action against Mkhwanazi. The IPID report alleges Mkhwanazi entered the EMPD into a corrupt contract with Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala’s private security company. This scandal, dubbed the "CAT-VIP blue light scandal," has been a source of controversy for some time.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has criticised the Executive Mayor, Ald. Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, accusing him of hypocrisy and staging "PR stunts" to appear concerned about the corruption within the EMPD. The DA claims that the ANC, the Mayor's party, is at the heart of the problem.
The DA alleges that the ANC-led coalition has repeatedly refused to investigate thoroughly and has stalled the tabling of reports related to EMPD corruption. They claim that the contracts for the CAT-VIP blue light scandal were facilitated during the tenure of Ald. Mzwandile Masina, the ANC's predecessor as Mayor.
The DA has raised concerns over several issues, including:
- The illegal CAT VIP blue-light matter
- The implementation of the IPID report recommendations relating to criminal activities by EMPD Deputy Chief of Police, Julius Mkhwanazi
- Rogue criminal EMPD syndicates
- The implementation of criminal vetting of EMPD personnel
The DA has vowed to monitor the investigative processes outlined by Mayor Xhakaza, expressing skepticism about their effectiveness given the ANC's alleged history of protecting corrupt individuals within the city.
The outcome of the Ekurhuleni city council's closed-door meeting remains to be seen, but the accusations against Behari and Gxasheka, as well as the broader allegations of corruption within the EMPD, highlight the challenges facing the city in its fight against corruption.