Ekurhuleni metro police deputy chief arrested on corruption charges

Julius Mkhwanazi and a second municipal official face fraud and obstruction charges in ongoing EMPD probe.

Police arrested suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi at his Gauteng home on Saturday as part of a corruption investigation into the metro police department¹. A second senior municipal official, aged 40, was arrested on Sunday morning in Johannesburg²³. Both men face charges of fraud, corruption, and defeating or obstructing the ends of justice¹².

The arrests were conducted by the South African Police Service's Madlanga task team, according to national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe¹. Mkhwanazi, 50, has been detained at Midrand police station². Both suspects are scheduled to appear in the Boksburg magistrate's court on Monday¹²³.

Mkhwanazi is accused of fraudulently fitting blue lights to a fleet belonging to alleged cartel member Vusi "CAT" Matlala². He spent several days testifying before the Madlanga Commission in Pretoria about his dealings with Matlala⁴. He has also been accused of running a kidnapping and extortion racket within the EMPD⁴.

Mathe said the task team is still searching for other suspects linked to the case¹. "These arrests emanate from an ongoing investigation into corruption within the EMPD," she said¹. Police declined to provide further comment on the merits of the case¹.

ActionSA has called for Mkhwanazi's immediate dismissal from the metro's employment⁴. The party said in a statement that Mkhwanazi has brought both the EMPD and the City of Ekurhuleni into disrepute and has forfeited his credibility⁴.