Julius Mkhwanazi, Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) Deputy Commissioner, came under fire from the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday over his relationships with companies linked to Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, a businessman with alleged ties to criminal activities.
Mkhwanazi, currently on suspension, has been accused of facilitating unauthorised agreements, including memoranda of understanding (MOUs), with Matlala’s companies, Medicare24 and CAT VIP Security, allowing private vehicles to be registered as municipal vehicles and fitted with blue lights.
The commission heard that the municipality had no formal agreement with the companies to establish these relationships.
Mkhwanazi said Mike van Wyk, a Medicare24 director, drafted the MOU between the company and the municipality.
Van Wyk, who co-directed Medicare24 with Matlala, allegedly authored the draft MOU, which proposed strategic partnership and assistance to EMPD members injured on duty.
Mkhwanazi said the motive by Medicare24 for entering into an MOU with the city and donating vehicles to EMPD was likely for marketing and publicity purposes.
Evidence leader Advocate Sello Mehlape SC, however, put it to Mkhwanazi that a clause in a MOU stated: “EMPD will assist with the registration of vehicles under EMPD as official vehicles and we will be permitted to use blue and red lights to respond for and on behalf of EMPD.”
Mkhwanazi testified that the MOU with Medicare24 was still pending municipal internal processes and had not received support.
He emphasised that health institutions, like Medicare24, are not entitled to use blue lights, implying that the proposed agreement was not intended to grant such privileges.
He told the commission that in retrospect he would consider it wrong for private vehicles to be fitted with blue lights. “The law doesn’t allow that,” he said.
In one of the documents Mkhwanazi stated: “I would like to confirm that we have a working relationship with CAT Security Services and its subsidiaries Medicare24 Emergency Services.”
However, when asked about the basis for the relationship, he said there was no formal document to govern it.
He conceded to the commission that there was no formal document governing CAT Security Services’ involvement in crime combating operations around the city despite his earlier written statement claiming their involvement.
The commission also took issues with the statement that CAT Security Services was assisting the EMPD by tracking suspects using technology.
Mkhwanazi said: “We have not yet worked with them. I was supposed to say we intend to work with them.”
When co-commissioner Advocate Sandile Khumalo SC asked him if he is authorised to sign memoranda of agreements on behalf of Ekurhuleni he said “No”.
The commission highlighted Matlala’s letter that stated his company has an MOU with the EMPD, but Mkhwanazi said Matlala was “confused” and “excited” over potential vehicle donations.
Former city manager Dr Imogen Mashazi told the commission on Monday that it is irregular for a department to enter into a memorandum. “It was not within his powers to enter into memoranda,” she said.
Mashazi has been accused by Xolani Nciza, former divisional head of employee relations, of shielding Mkhwanazi who was suspended for three months due to the blue-light saga.
Mashazi allegedly attacked Nciza and ordered him to lift Mkhwanazi’s suspension and not extend it.
Mkhwanazi was suspended again on November 11, 2025, following allegations of misconduct and corruption.
Nciza testified that the vehicles were registered under the municipality and fitted with blue lights, but lacked proper council approval to legitimise their existence.
Mkhwanazi also testified that he was approached by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) that wanted to institute investigations into allegations that he facilitated the installation of the blue lights into private vehicles.
Mkhwanazi also faced the allegation made by Witness D that he ordered for the suspect’s corpse, allegedly killed by EMPD officers, to be dumped in a mine shaft or dam in Brakpan to cover up the murder.
“I said (to Ipid) I could answer but the dumping of the body I didn’t know. I wrote and responded to all of the allegations,” he said.
Early 2022, Mkhwanazi met representatives from CAT VIP Security, introduced by EMPD’s intervention unit, ahead of the state of the city address.
This followed concerns raised by then DA Executive Mayor Tania Campbell about potential ANC threats to disrupt the event.
Mkhwanazi stated that a meeting was arranged with Matlala, who agreed to provide VIP protection services for the state of the city address at no cost to the city.
Mkhwanazi mentioned that CAT VIP Security later wanted to upgrade their vehicles, and he discussed the EMPD’s vehicle shortage with Matlala, implying a possible donation of vehicles.
He said a former EMPD divisional commissioner Revo Spies was not happy with the donations while chief Isaac Mapiyeye said “we need cars”.
Mkhwanazi stated a fleet corporate proxy managed by Chris Steyn withdrew from registering the vehicles due to disputes over vehicle registration.
Steyn allegedly told Mkhwanazi to “Call that guy (Matlala) and (tell him) we are not doing it. There are disks here but we need to deregister them”.
“I didn’t install blue lights. I didn’t brand the cars. The cars – I didn’t see them physically. They didn’t come to the city of Ekurhuleni,” Mkhwanazi said.
