Ekurhuleni city manager and police chief arrested on fraud charges

Kagiso Lerutla and Julius Mkhwanazi appeared in court after allegedly arranging an impersonator to attend a 2019 speeding case.

Ekurhuleni city manager Kagiso Lerutla and suspended metro police deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi appeared in the Boksburg Magistrate's Court on Monday on charges of fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice.¹² The two were arrested over the weekend by the SAPS Madlanga task team and will apply for bail on Thursday.¹¹¹⁷

The charges relate to an incident in March 2019 when Lerutla was arrested for speeding and released on bail of R1,000.¹²¹⁴ According to national police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe, Lerutla's court date coincided with an interview for the position of chief financial officer at the Ekurhuleni municipality.¹⁴ The state alleges that Lerutla approached Mkhwanazi and the pair recruited an impersonator, identified only as Mr X, to appear in court claiming to be Lerutla.¹²¹⁴

The impersonator was convicted and sentenced to community service, which he allegedly performed only once.¹⁷ Mathe said Lerutla paid a total of R400,000, which was split between Mkhwanazi and the impersonator at R200,000 each.¹²¹⁴ State prosecutor advocate Nceba Ntelwa told the court that Mkhwanazi was the receiver of the gratification and Lerutla the giver, and that the two acted in common purpose.¹²

Mkhwanazi was arrested at his home in Gauteng on Saturday, where police found more than 100 rounds of live ammunition.¹³ Lerutla was arrested on Sunday at OR Tambo International Airport shortly after arriving from Cape Town.³¹⁰¹³ Both men have been detained at Midrand police station.³

Mathe said the arrests emerged from information brought forward after the establishment of the Madlanga Commission task team, though police maintain the charges are not connected to evidence before the commission itself.⁴¹³ Mkhwanazi had recently testified at the Madlanga Commission regarding his alleged dealings with suspected cartel member Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala, including accusations of fitting blue lights to Matlala's vehicles.⁴¹¹

The Democratic Alliance and ActionSA have called for Lerutla's immediate suspension.¹¹¹⁵¹⁶ DA Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate Khathutshelo Rasilingwane said the city could not be led by someone potentially linked to criminal activity.¹⁶ ActionSA announced it would table a motion in council on Tuesday to suspend Lerutla, citing the Municipal Systems Act's provisions allowing council to act where serious allegations exist.¹⁶

Ekurhuleni mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza said he had been learning of developments through headlines and that it remained unclear how Lerutla was connected to the case.³ The city appointed Tsholofelo Koopedi as acting city manager for Monday.¹⁰ Lerutla, who is 40 years old, has been city manager for five months after previously serving as chief financial officer.¹⁰