Shameful and shocking as it was, on Monday, 1 December 2025, South Africans and the Madlanga Commission heard evidence exposing how the former Ekurhuleni city manager Dr Imogen Mashazi, 65, allegedly failed to act against senior officials accused of rape and sexual harassment, as well as police officers implicated in unlawful contracts awarded to Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala’s security company.
Speaking about the suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi and allegedly dodgy deals with Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s companies, Mashazi admitted at the commission that she failed to discipline and charge Mkhwanazi.
The commission also learnt that Mkhwanazi is linked to a murder case and accused of running a rogue unit allegedly involved in extortion, kidnapping, theft and truck hijackings.
The suspended metro police chief Jabulani Isaac Mapiyeye told the commission that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the EMPD and Matlala’s CAT VIP Protection Services was unlawful. The EMPD is accused of failing to implement Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) recommendations of disciplinary action against Mkhwanazi relating to his role in the MoU with Matlala’s security company and the fitting of blue police lights on his vehicles.
Evidence leader, Mahlape Sello SC tried to established Mashazi’s role in two MoUs signed by Mkhwanazi on behalf of the City of Ekurhuleni — one with Medicare 24 and another with CAT Protection and Security, both concluded in October 2021. Mashazi was asked about what she knew about the agreements or what role she played in approving them, Mashazi claimed: “To my knowledge, those two memoranda signed by Mkhwanazi never came to my office. I did not know about them, and I was not aware they were implemented.”
The Ipid report recommended that the city charge Mkhwanazi, noting that the very MoUs he entered into with Matlala were illegal.
Commissioner Sandile Khumalo challenged Mashazi by saying: “You did not act. You either disregarded the report or you chose to comply with it.”
“I acted by referring the report to Corporate and Legal, and to the chief of police [Mapiye], because the chief of police is mandated in terms of the SAPS Act to discipline members. Mkhwanazi, being his subordinate, should have been disciplined by him.
“I was then informed by the HOD: Legal that the document was incomplete, and he advised that no action could be taken on it, suggesting instead that an internal probe be conducted. From my side, I did not participate in the discipline of juniors,” said Mashazi.
The commission also heard that attempts to suspend and discipline Mkhwanazi were allegedly prevented by interference from top management.
Speaking at the commission in November, former Ekurhuleni Municipality head of employee relations, Xolani Nciza said on the night of 23 May 2023, he received a missed WhatsApp call from then subjective city manager Mashazi.
Nciza said when he spoke to Mashazi, she allegedly objected to extending Mkhwanazi’s brief suspension, saying: “You guys hate Julius, leave him alone. We are not going to extend the suspension.”
Amongst other things, Mashazi told the commission that allegations against EMPD officers of rape, sexual harassment and having children with women subordinates in the metro were merely hearsay — and without a formal complaint, she claimed her hands were tied.
The allegations were first raised in 2016 by victims who reported them directly to Mashazi. Yet, until her retirement in July 2025, the only step she took was to introduce an “empowerment programme” intended to help women law-enforcement officers avoid becoming “sexual slaves”.
Commission chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga challenged Mashazi’s testimony and chastised her for “doing absolutely nothing” to assist the victims and instead “sitting with folded arms”, Mashazi conceded: “I take your point that doing that empowerment programme was not enough.”
Reacting to Mashazi’s testimony, gender based violence (GBV) victim, Anna Moloi said it is disappointing to hear a woman confessing that she did nothing to assist victims of GBV, the country is battling a severe epidemic of GBV and femicide (GBVF), with high rates of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse despite government and civil society efforts.
Mkhwanazi was suspended in November following allegations at the Madlanga Commission.
