Matlala's VIP Protection 'ran' Ekurhuleni police

The Madlanga commission heard this week that officials were afraid to suspend a senior EMPD officer linked to the controversial businessman

- Nkateko Joseph Mabasa

The influence of murder accused and alleged leader of the Big Five cartel Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala extended to the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD), the Madlanga commission of inquiry into criminality in the justice system heard this week.

Officials were as a result afraid to suspend EMPD brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi for alleged misconduct due to his links to Matlala, the City of Ekurhuleni’s suspended director of employee relations Xolani Nciza testified at the commission chaired by retired judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga.

Nciza also implicated Ekurhuleni city manager Imogen Mashazi in hampering disciplinary processes in the metro, telling the inquiry: “I believe the drive to protect Mkhwanazi was a Mashazi driven effort - that was a Mashazi project. It was Mashazi who had these close links to Mkhwanazi.”

On the second day of his testimony on Thursday, Nciza further outlined the scope of Matlala’s influence in Gauteng’s police force, where HR officials were hesitant to discipline an EMPD officer linked to “characters who are involved in the news for the wrong reasons”.

He further implicated Kemi Behari — Ekurhuleni’s head of legal services — and HR boss Linda Gxasheka in interference with disciplinary processes to protect brigadier Mkhwanazi. “I was shaken by the emerging pattern of interference that emerged with specific regard to this matter,” Nciza said.