Top cop is promoted despite fraud claims
The DA described this as a clear indicator of the prevalence of cadre deployment in the metro, adding that it is a slap in the face of the law-abiding residents of Ekurhuleni.
Earlier this month, the DA questioned Julius Mkhwanazi’s recent promotion to deputy chief of police as a cloud of criminal allegations hangs over his head.
“The DA is concerned about the recent appointment of Mkhwanazi, who, according to information obtained by the DA, was recommended for disciplinary action for allegedly fraudulently registering vehicles owned by the city to a private security company,” said the party’s Ekurhuleni spokesperson for community safety, Jaco Terblanche.
According to the DA, the city reportedly appointed an external company to investigate the matter at a cost of R600 000, and the investigation is still not finalised.
“The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) also recommended disciplinary action against Mkhwanazi after the allegations of fraud. It is, therefore, inconceivable that the ANC/EFF coalition would promote Mkhwanazi to the second-most powerful position in the EMPD following these allegations instead of dismissing him,” said Terblanche.
Terblanche described this as a clear indicator of the prevalence of cadre deployment in the metro, adding that it is a slap in the face of the law-abiding residents of Ekurhuleni.
“While Mkhwanazi was suspended with full pay for three months, whistleblowers approached the DA and revealed he has now been appointed as the deputy chief of police in the city with a salary of over R1.3m.”
Terblanche said the DA would write to the MMC of Community Safety, the Ekurhuleni mayor, and the city manager to reject Mkhwanazi’s appointment.
“In addition, the DA will demand that a full investigation be conducted as to whether the city did investigate Mkhwanazi as per the IPID recommendations and what the findings were.”
The metro has not yet responded to our request for comment.
Responding to the Boksburg Advertiser’s request for comment on this matter, the secretary general of the Municipal Employees and Civil Servants Union (Mecsu), Vukile Mlungwana, said the union was unable to comment confidently on the allegations because it had not received the facts around this matter.
“We are reading about this from the media, and we have not received a complaint as a trade union about the deputy. We can only state our position on this issue once we have obtained all the relevant facts,” said Mlungwana.
