How Ekurhuleni managers enriched themselves after protecting Mkhwanazi

The state alleges that a former Ekurhuleni municipal manager frustrated the disciplinary process into Julius Mkhwanazi’s blue light saga and then rewarded the role players with a fraudulent salary increment.

Former boss Imogen Mashazi together with Mkhwanazi, head of human resources Linda Gxasheka and head of legal Adv Kemi Behari, appeared at the Germiston magistrate’s court on Thursday on corruption charges.

The charges emanate from how the four allegedly worked with common purpose to block disciplinary proceedings against Mkhwanazi as recommended by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) and the city’s internal investigation.

The probe came as a result of a media exposé on how Mkhwanazi allegedly gifted blue lights to a fleet belonging to cartel member Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. The city had no formal agreement to work with Matlala’s security company.

According to the charge sheet, Mashazi obstructed the disciplinary hearing by ordering Gxasheka and Behari to halt and withdraw the proceedings against Mkhwanazi.

“Following their efforts to frustrate the DC process of Mkhwanazi, during the first week of July 2023 Mashazi advised Behari and Gxasheka that they were due increases in their salary packages,” the charge sheet read.

“Following that advice, Gxasheka and Behari started drafting an increment document which was going to be presented to the remuneration committee [Remco] for approval.

“Remco was made up of three MMCs [politicians], Mashazi and Gxasheka. As expected, Remco approved the request to review the salary packages of Gxasheka and Behari.”

According to the state, the council did not entertain the request and it was withdrawn. On the same day the council refused to entertain the request, the city finance section paid the salary adjustments to accused Gxasheka and Behari using the mayoral committee approval, brought earlier on by accused Gxasheka as the ground to implement the request.

At the time Gxasheka and Behari were still on probation in their positions. Their payments continued from August 2023 and are still ongoing.

The state said their salary packages were illegal.

Behari’s monthly salary increased from R159,250.42 to R208,024.25 after the adjustment. By April 2026, he was earning R214,626 per month. His annual salary notch increased from R2,055,055 in July 2023 to R2,719,512 the following month.

Gxasheka’s salary was allegedly adjusted in a similar manner, with her annual salary notch increasing from R2,055,005 on July 31 2023 to R2,719,512 in August 2023.

The charge sheet alleges that between the 2023/24 and 2025/26 financial years, the city paid the two accused an additional R2.66m through the alleged unlawful adjustments — R1.33m to Gxasheka and R1.32m to Behari.

In Mkhwanazi’s case, the state alleges that he was unjustifiably placed on a remuneration package of R1.7m within the first month of assuming his new position.

The state also alleges that Mkhwanazi was allowed to skip the assessment phase before he was appointed.

On receiving the acceptance letter, he scribbled on it that he was supposed to be considered for the top bracket of the deputy chief post of R1.8m instead of the R1.6m he was going to get.

“Accused 3 [Gxasheka] took it upon herself to motivate on behalf of accused 4 [Mkhwanazi] to accused 1 [Mashazi] that his request is approved,” read the charge sheet.

During court proceedings the state didn’t oppose the bail applications of Mkhwanazi and Behari but opposed Mashazi and Gxasheka’s bail applications.

State prosecutor Adv Nceba Ntelwa told the court that the main reason they opposed their bail applications was because the two had properties the state would need to verify.

Mkhwanazi and Behari were granted R50,000 bail while the bail application of Mashazi and Gxasheka was rolled over to Friday.

However, all four of them will spend a night in a prison cell because when the matter was adjourned the bail office had already closed.

Speaking outside court, National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the accused have a case to answer and the NPA would like to conclude the matter with urgency.

“From our side we have basically gone through the court process today where you are clear that we are charging them with fraud and corruption, especially as it relates to the promotions,” said Kganyago.

“The reason why they are separated is because they still have to verify the addresses of the two and to make sure that everything is tied up because if those addresses are not verified it might cause problems in the future and from our side.”

Kganyago and police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe did not rule out the possibility of more suspects being added.