Suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) chief Jabulani Mapiyeye revealed that SWAT members, a unit led by Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi, now acting head of the EMPD, stand accused of murder, extortion, kidnapping, theft, and hijacking.

Testifying before the Madlanga Commission in Pretoria on Friday, Mapiyeye detailed how the disbanded tactical team allegedly became a criminal enterprise under the protection of his subordinate.

The SWAT unit, Mapiyeye said, operated more like a mafia outfit than a police team, with at least five criminal cases registered against three of its members.

He claimed Mkhwanazi maintained direct links to Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, a controversial businessman and alleged member of the Big Cartel, an organised crime network known for its grip on illicit tender deals and blue-light corruption.

One of the most shocking cases involves the 2022 murder of a Brakpan man whose body was recovered from a river.

The same officers, Mapiyeye testified, are implicated in a string of other crimes across Gauteng, including a Benoni kidnapping and theft case tied to what became known as the “blue light saga.”

According to Mapiyeye, officers fitted Matlala’s private vehicles with illegal blue lights and later raided a supermarket, confiscating R29 000 worth of cigarettes, kidnapping the store manager, and later claiming the goods were found “abandoned in the veld.”

Despite overwhelming evidence, including CCTV footage, he said it remained unclear whether the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) would pursue charges.

Two of the implicated officers were dismissed but allegedly reinstated into the force, while one resigned before disciplinary action could proceed.

“Internal disciplinary processes were continuously frustrated,” Mapiyeye added.

“These members were returned to duty, and their firearms were reissued.”

Other allegations include a robbery in Meyerton, a truck hijacking, and the theft of precious stones by EMPD officers who allegedly posed as Hawks investigators.

Mapiyeye said he only learned of the latter case after the victims filed a civil lawsuit against the EMPD.

The revelations paint a picture of a department in crisis, where corruption and criminality allegedly reached the highest ranks.

The commission is expected to hear from additional witnesses next week, who will expand on the alleged criminal network operating under Mkhwanazi’s command.

Mapiyeye will continue with his testimony.

kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za

IOL Politics

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