The suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief has denied any involvement in the kidnapping and attacks on his departmental spokesperson.
Julius Mkhwanazi on Tuesday distanced himself from the three incidents that happened to EMPD spokesperson Kelebogile Thepa in July 2024 in which she was attacked, kidnapped and had a firearm pointed at her.
Thepa previously told the commission that she believed the attacks were related to how she responded to and handled media enquiries about the blue lights saga linked to Mkhwanazi and Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala.
Responding to the allegations, Mkhwanazi told the commission that Thepa had faked her tears when she narrated the story to the commission.
“I strongly deny those allegations ... My character has been assassinated, My character has been badly dealt with. When my kids open social media they see a kidnapper [father],” he said, adding that such actions were not in his character.
The commission is also investigating whether Mkhwanazi misled the commission when he applied for a postponement last month.
Mkhwanazi’s reason was that he wanted to attend his mother’s funeral.
However, according to advocate Sello Mahlape, the details of the deceased that Mkhwanazi claimed to be his mother showed that the deceased was only 10 years older than Mkhwanazi.
Mkhwanazi had provided his mother’s funeral programme and other supporting documents to prove the validity of his request.
Furthermore, department of home affairs records showed that Mkhwanazi’s mother was a different person.
Mahlape told the commission she has concluded that Mkhwanazi might have lied so he could avoid appearing before it.
“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.
“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 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 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 Matlala’s security company and providing fraudulent letters that claimed that the company had a memorandum of understanding with the city of Ekurhuleni.
Sowetan
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.