WATCH | IPID’s Magagula back in the hot seat at Madlanga Commission
Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), assistant director, Thulani Magagula, returns to the stand on Friday as the Madlanga Commission digs deeper into claims of interference in police investigations in the City of Ekurhuleni.
On Thursday, Magagula flatly denied allegations by retired Ekurhuleni deputy commissioner, Revo Spies, that IPID deliberately undermined probes into senior officials at the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD).
The Brakpan murder of Emmanuel Mbense and the controversial installation of blue lights on vehicles linked to alleged cartel figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala are the main things at the commission.
Magagula rejected claims that he stalled or weakened investigations that could have implicated the suspended EMPD acting chief, Julius Mkhwanazi.
“The allegations as I understand them are that I… deliberately sought to undermine or delay investigations… I deny these allegations and I will demonstrate to the commission that they are factually incorrect,” he testified.
He confirmed meeting Spies, suspended EMPD chief Isaac Mapiyeye and Colonel Hennie Erasmus in Roodepoort to discuss the blue lights saga.
According to Magagula, the matter was assigned to investigator Xulu, who finalised the probe and submitted a negative report to the Ekurhuleni City Manager.
He insisted the municipality received the report once the investigation concluded.
The commission continues.
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