Former Ekurhuleni City Manager Imogen Mashazi on Tuesday claimed she was prejudiced during her testimony before South Africa’s Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, with her attorney requesting additional time to gather documents after commissioners challenged her failure to substantiate serious allegations.
Mashazi’s attorney, Mr Moosa, addressed the commission in Pretoria on his client’s concerns following two days of difficult questioning during which she struggled to provide evidence supporting her claims.
“It’s under instruction that she’s referred to me, and I’ve got a duty to place it before the commission is that ‘over the last day or so, I was in a position where I had to face certain questions and answer to certain allegations without having all the information at my disposal’,” Moosa told the commission.
Mashazi, 65, who retired in July 2025, has been granted until next Wednesday to provide a supplementary affidavit with relevant documents and evidence.
Moosa acknowledged concerns about reputational damage could not be reversed but said his client would use the coming days to compile a detailed response.
“She says, ‘what about the perception that has been created of me as a public figure over the last day?’. And I said to her that is something we can’t do, we can’t turn back the clock, but what we can do is use the next three to four days and optimise the opportunity to do a detailed supplementary statement,” Moosa said.
The commission, which is investigating criminality, political interference, and corruption in South Africa’s criminal justice system, heard testimony on Monday that Mashazi failed to act on an Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) report recommending disciplinary action against suspended acting Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department head Julius Mkhwanazi.
The IPID report alleged Mkhwanazi unlawfully entered into agreements with companies linked to Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, who has been described as an alleged underworld figure.
Commission chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga criticised Mashazi for “doing absolutely nothing” after receiving reports of sexual harassment and rape allegations against suspended EMPD chief Isaac Mapiyeye.
“If the affected women tell you this is happening to us, there is nothing hearsay about it,” Madlanga said on Monday.
Mashazi conceded under questioning that an empowerment programme she introduced for women officers was insufficient.
“I take your point that doing that empowerment programme was not enough,” she said.
Commissioner Advocate Sesi Baloyi noted that Mashazi, as municipal manager, had authority to appoint someone to investigate the allegations but took no action.
Mashazi admitted she received the IPID report in late 2023 but “did not pay too much attention” to it, instead relying on a legal opinion that deemed the document vague.
The commission is working to deliver an interim report to President Cyril Ramaphosa by Dec. 17 and will conclude public hearings for the year by Dec. 5.
Sidelined police minister Senzo Mchunu is expected to testify before the commission this week.
