Second Ekurhuleni official arrested as corruption probe deepens after Mkhwanazi bust
Image: AI / ChatGPT
A second senior official linked to the City of Ekurhuleni has been arrested, intensifying a widening corruption probe that follows closely on the heels of the arrest of EMPD Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi.
South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed that the 40-year-old municipal official was taken into custody in Johannesburg earlier in the day.
“Another senior municipal official attached to the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality has been arrested,” Mathe said.
Police confirmed the timing and location of the arrest, stating: “The 40-year-old senior official was arrested this morning on Sunday, April 19, 2026 in Johannesburg.”
The arrest comes after Mkhwanazi was apprehended by a SAPS task team linked to the Madlanga Commission on Saturday for fraud and corruption, in a case that has already drawn national attention over allegations of deep-seated corruption and criminal infiltration within municipal and policing structures.
Authorities said the newly arrested official faces serious charges similar to those levelled against Mkhwanazi.
“He faces the same charges of fraud, corruption and defeating and or obstructing the ends of justice,” Mathe read.
Both suspects are expected to appear before the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday, where the state is likely to outline the basis of its case as investigations continue.
“Both suspects will appear before the Boksburg Magistrate's Court on Monday, April 20, 2026,” Mathe confirmed.
The back-to-back arrests are expected to heighten scrutiny on governance and law enforcement in Ekurhuleni, as pressure mounts for further action against officials implicated in wrongdoing.
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