EKURHULENI, Gauteng- A motion has been brought before the Ekurhuleni City Council to suspend the EMPD deputy chief, Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi, following allegations of links to an alleged underworld figure.
Mkhwanazi is accused of supplying blue lights belonging to the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) to Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. These lights were allegedly installed on Matlala’s personal vehicles in 2023.
Council officials are expected to meet on Thursday morning to decide whether the senior police officer should be formally suspended while investigations continue.
Mkhwanazi’s name also surfaced at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry last week. Testimony at the hearings suggested he granted Matlala unlawful favours during his tenure at the EMPD.
Matlala, who has been described by authorities as an alleged crime boss, is currently being held at the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Facility in Pretoria. He faces charges of attempted murder relating to an attack on his former partner, actress Tebogo Thobejane.
The case has raised concerns about alleged collusion between senior law enforcement officials and figures in South Africa’s criminal underworld. Analysts say the outcome of the council meeting will be closely watched, as it could signal the municipality’s stance on accountability within its policing structures.
Neither Mkhwanazi nor his legal representatives have publicly commented on the allegations.
The EMPD has faced scrutiny in recent years over issues of corruption and misconduct, with critics urging reforms to restore public trust. The motion to suspend Mkhwanazi is seen as a key test of the department’s ability to address allegations of wrongdoing within its senior ranks.
If upheld, the suspension would mark the latest in a series of disciplinary actions against high-profile officers in Gauteng municipalities, where policing integrity has come under increasing pressure.
