Suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) chief Jabulani Mapiyeye was shocked to see that he had a new deputy in Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi at a roadblock in December 2023, despite interviews not being finalised.

Mkhwanazi, who was also suspended a few months ago after acting following Mapiyeye’s suspension in September last year, had been interviewed for the position of EMDP deputy chief: operations and specialised services upon Goodman Mzolo’s retirement in November 2023.

Mapiyeye told the commission of inquiry into criminality, political interference, and corruption in the criminal justice system, chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, that he initiated a process to fill the vacancy and shortlisted candidates, among them Mkhwanazi.

The other candidate was Staff Officer Ivan du Plessis, according to Mapiyeye.

He said both candidates had to undergo competency assessment tests, but afterwards, the panel never reconvened.

He testified that he does not know the results of the competency assessment tests.

“I have never seen the competency assessment results of either candidate and do not know if either undertook such assessments,” Mapiyeye stated.

He insisted that the interviewing panel never completed its tasks and had not recommend any candidate for the post.

However, the next time he saw Mkhwanazi, he (Mkhwanazi) was with new insignia georgettes of the rank of the deputy chief of police during the first week of December 2023.

“I remember we were at a roadblock. He came wearing the new ranks of the deputy chief of police. At first, I didn’t inquire from him how he achieved this rank. At first, the panel didn’t recommend him for appointment, and secondly, neither did I, as the chief of police, confer the rank on him, as this is the norm,” Mapiyeye explained.

He added that the chief of police confers ranks on any employee who has been appointed or promoted.

Mapiyeye said the practice was to call the management team, introduce the person who has been appointed, and then confer rank on the individual.

“I have never received or seen his letter of appointment,” he added.

Mapiyeye then wrote to the head of human resources, Linda Gxasheka, requesting the conditions of Mkhwanazi’s appointment since his appointment was on a contract basis and he had to undergo a performance assessment.

He said he was never provided with such and later saw Mkhwanazi identify himself as EMPD deputy chief of police: operations in all communications.

According to Mapiyeye, this constitutes misrepresentation as Mkhwanazi was never recommended by the panel and was neither conferred his rank by him as the chief of police.

He said that until his suspension in September last year, he had not received Mkhwanazi’s performance contract and his conditions of appointment.

In addition, as is the norm for senior metro police officers, including all deputies, Mkhwanazi was supposed to be vetted by the State Security Agency (SSA).

However, according to Mapiyeye, he refused to go for vetting as a senior police officer, but his other deputies all did so.

He said Mkhwanazi informed him that vetting by the SSA was not in his performance contract.

When Mapiyeye informed the then-city manager, Dr Imogen Mashazi, that Mkhwanazi refused to be vetted, she lambasted him.

Mapiyeye said Mashazi asked him: “Why I was personal to Julius? Why are you sending him to SSA, IPID? She said he was sending Mkhwanazi ‘to my friends so that they can give him a negative recommendation’.”

But Mapiyeye maintained that this was not personal. “I was just following the processes that a chief of police ought to have done,” he said.

The commission will resume on Monday with the evidence of former EMPD deputy chief for auxiliary and support services, Revo Spies, who was acting in Mapiyeye’s position when the revelations that controversial attempted murder accused businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s security company, CAT VIP Protection, used bluelights approved by the municipality first emerged in February 2023.

loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za

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