Suspended Ekurhuleni Human Resources head Linda Gxasheka exposed corruption in the City of Ekurhuleni during her testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
Suspended Ekurhuleni Human Resources head Linda Gxasheka has thrown down the gauntlet at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, arguing that its current scope of investigation is too limited to address the widespread corruption and maladministration within the municipality.
Gxasheka is facing accusations that she shielded suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi from disciplinary proceedings.
Mkhwanazi is implicated in the installation of blue lights on private vehicles belonging to alleged crime mastermind Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala. He also allegedly facilitated a process of registering those vehicles in the name of the city.
Mkhwanazi, currently on suspension as EMPD deputy chief, was promoted to this position at the end of 2023 despite facing misconduct allegations.
Gxasheka told the commission on Thursday that the city's human resources department operates with inherent risk, sharing a disturbing incident where a labour union representative advised her to settle a case involving suspected syndicates that had allegedly embezzled large sums from the municipality.
She said another incident involved a company that was paid from the city's bank account, although it had never done business with the city and was also not on its supplier database.
She mentioned that there was an employee who was conducting a disciplinary process with regard to that matter that is still ongoing.
"I was approached by a union representing that employee. He then said to me 'HOD I would like to protect your life. I would like you to settle this matter and let this employee go'," Gxasheka said.
She said the union representative stated that he wanted to protect her to prevent what they did to a councillor whose house was shot at.
"It was like a movie. Those movies that we used to watch when we were young. I have never seen something like that. He then referred to it and said they will do the same to your house."
She added that following the conversation, she called Mkhwanazi to "come and listen to this", but the employee refused to reduce his statement in writing.
Gxasheka testified that the late Ekurhuleni Roads and Transport MMC Andile Mngwevu shared with her last year that a syndicate within his department was stealing TLBs (tractor-loader-backhoes) and transporting them to the Eastern Cape.
Mngwevu, who died last month in a flooding incident in Mozambique, was reportedly investigating the matter.
Gxasheka said: "We allocated one of our legal advisors to deal with the matter. Subsequently, she went to (Advocate Khemraj) Behari (head of Ekurhuleni’s Risk and Legal Services Department) and myself to request protection. I asked her: 'Do you really want to have protection? Why don't you leave this thing and let's have external lawyers to deal with it?"
She stated that there have been a number of such cases, even at EMPD, where officials would initially probe matters but abruptly stop over time.
She said: "Chairperson with due respect, your task team has limited scope. At Ekurhuleni, what we are dealing with here is the small part of the tip of the iceberg."
Gxasheka expressed optimism that the team established by President Cyril Ramaphosa, following the commission's preliminary report, would expand its scope to address broader issues related to corruption and maladministration in the city.
Earlier, she testified that she learnt about the blue lights scandal involving Matlala's vehicles around February 2023. That was after former divisional head of employee relations, Xolani Nciza, shared with her a WhatsApp message with a video clip showing the private vehicles fitted with blue lights.
Subsequent to that, she said, Nciza called a meeting to discuss Mkhwanazi's suspension with suspended EMPD chief Isaac Mapiyeye and Gxasheka in attendance.
She told the commission that at the meeting in question, Nciza stated "we are in a war" and went on to say how dangerous Mkhwanazi is.
She stated that she eventually signed Mkhwanazi's three-month suspension letter with Nciza as a co-signatory, following her walkout from a meeting discussing his suspension.
Gxasheka has also been accused of refusing to extend Mkhwanazi's suspension after three months had lapsed.
She testified that she wanted to sign an extension letter but that former city manager, Dr Imogen Mashazi, had instructed them to lift the suspension due to a delayed disciplinary hearing against Mkhwanazi.
The commission continues.
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za