Madlanga hearing told Ekurhuleni failed to act on metro police rape and corruption claims

Former Ekurhuleni city manager Dr Imogen Mashazi, 65, told the Madlanga Commission on Monday, 1 December 2025, that allegations against Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (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”.

Her explanation collapsed under scrutiny. After commission chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga tore through her 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.”

She admitted that the allegations persisted throughout her tenure. Mashazi said two female officers, who were allegedly coerced into a sexual relationship, raped and impregnated by an officer, are ready to testify in camera.

She directly implicated suspended metro police chief Jabulani Isaac Mapiyeye, accusing him of fathering multiple children with staff members in the EMPD.

“It was also reported to me [that] chief of police Mapiyeye fathered multiple children with subordinates who were vulnerable to his abuse of power, including conduct amounting to sexual harassment, coercion and rape,” she claimed.

According to Mashazi, two alleged drunk-driving incidents involving Mapiyeye were quietly swept under the carpet.

The Madlanga Commission is hearing evidence of alleged criminality, political interference and corruption within law enforcement, following explosive claims by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who claimed that top officials had conspired to obstruct investigations into criminal syndicates.

Failure to act

Mashazi said abuse of female staff members in the EMPD was not limited to Mapiyeye alone — it was widespread, a pervasive practice involving “anyone” in the department who chose to exploit women.

“Because there was no formal complaint from anyone, I could not take action. It was just hearsay and their frustration. I then initiated the empowerment programme for women to be able to be promoted.

“The pattern of behaviour described is deeply troubling and reflects a systematic abuse of authority by [Mapiyeye]. He calls them ‘amangelosi’, “like angels”. Those “angels” are the ones actually promoted,” she said.

Mashazi said this kind of practice gave her sleepless nights, and she felt that the programme she created at least alleviated some pressure from these women.

Commissioner advocate Sesi Baloyi said that as municipal manager, Mashazi knew there were serious problems in the EMPD, yet launched no investigation. She had the authority to appoint someone to probe the allegations, but did nothing, choosing instead to wait for a formal complaint while the abuses continued unchecked.

Madlanga said, “If the affected women tell you this is happening to us, there is nothing hearsay about it.”

“You basically did nothing after receiving reports of such horrific conduct by the chief of police.”

Top cop shielded

The second part of Mashazi’s evidence focused on suspended EMPD deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi and allegedly dodgy deals with Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s companies.

Matlala is allegedly a central player in the so-called Big Five cartel, which he has denied, while Mkhwanazi is linked to a murder case and accused of running a rogue unit allegedly involved in extortion, kidnapping, theft and truck hijackings.

Read more: Ekurhuleni officials allegedly protected metro police boss Julius Mkhwanazi and his ‘rogue unit’ for years

In November, the commission heard evidence from Mapiyeye that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the EMPD and Matlala’s CAT VIP Protection Services was unlawful.

The EMPD failed 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, pressed Mashazi on her 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.

Asked 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 put it bluntly to Mashazi: “You did not act. You either disregarded the report or you chose to comply with it.”

Her response: “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.”

Testifying in November, however, former Ekurhuleni Municipality head of employee relations, Xolani Nciza, explained how repeated attempts to suspend and discipline Mkhwanazi were allegedly thwarted by interference from top management.

According to Nciza, on the night of 23 May 2023, he received a missed WhatsApp call from then 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.”

Mkhwanazi was suspended in November following allegations at the Madlanga Commission.

Sidelined police minister Senzo Mchunu is expected to testify at the commission on Tuesday.

On Monday, commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels told Daily Maverick: “The commission is working toward delivering its interim report to President Cyril Ramaphosa by 17 December 2025 and will therefore wrap up its public hearings for this year by Friday, 5 December 2025.” DM