Embattled Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi might have lied about his mother’s death to delay his appearance before the Madlanga commission.
This is according to advocate Sello Mahlape, who told the commission that in March, when Mkhwanazi was due to appear before the commission, he said he could not testify as he had an operation appointment. A new date of March 20 was set to accommodate him.
However, a week before his appearance he, again, informed the commission that he could not attend as he would be burying his mother.
Mkhwanazi provided his mother’s funeral programme and other supporting documents to prove the validity of his request.
However, records show that the age of the deceased whom Mkhwanazi submitted as his mother was only 10 years older than him. Furthermore, department of home affairs records show that Mkhwanazi was born from a different person.
On Tuesday, Mahlape concluded before the commission that Mkhwanazi might have lied in order not to appear before the commission.
“After the postponement was granted and a few days later in the course of the preparation of documents, the documents were prepared and we realised that this person happens to be 10 years older than Mkhwanazi, and it raised an issue of whether Mkhwanazi lied to the commission, misled the commission to avoid having to appear,” Mahlape said.
“And we concluded that he might potentially have done so, and we needed to investigate. It was upon receipt of home affairs documents that we concluded that he knew that the person who died was not his mother, and he misrepresented the facts and obtained his extension.”
However, Mkhwanazi contested that the individuals who appear on his notice of birth certificate are his grandparents.
Mkhwanazi also argued that he should not be found in contempt of court.
“I am still saying she [the deceased] is my mother. Yes, I was not born of her, but she raised me when I was young, and she took over from my grandparents,” said Mkhwanazi.
“I didn’t lie ... that woman we buried is my mother and she raised me. I didn’t lie. Maybe I should have said ‘stepmother’,” he added.
Mkhwanazi then pleaded with the commission to verify what he said through the court process, and said he would provide supplementary documents to support his story.
Mkhwanazi is accused of fraudulently fitting blue lights to cars belonging to alleged cartel member Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala’s security company and providing fraudulent letters that claimed that the company had a memorandum of understanding with the city of Ekurhuleni.
The commission continues.
Sowetan
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