From Feared Enforcer to Apologetic Witness: Mkhwanazi's U-Turns at Madlanga Commission
Julius Mkhwanazi, once a figure who commanded respect, if not outright fear, within the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD), underwent a dramatic transformation when he appeared before the Madlanga commission. The man who EMPD officers once dared not cross became a picture of contrition, his testimony marked by repeated backtracking, contradictions, and a seemingly endless supply of water to quench his parched throat.
To the ordinary EMPD officer, Julius Mkhwanazi was the man you didn’t cross. For years, colleagues tiptoed around him; his word, they say, “went”. One particularly chilling claim came from Witness D, an EMPD officer, who told the commission that Mkhwanazi once instructed members “on how to get rid of a body”, a statement that reverberated through the room.
But when he took the stand at the Madlanga commission, that terrifying commander evaporated. In his place appeared a soft-spoken man who apologised, accepted mistakes and even blamed his own English. What unfolded over two days was a masterclass in backtracking, contradictions and slow, reluctant truth-telling, dragged out of him drop by drop like the 20 litres of water he finished during questioning.
The commission's meticulous examination of Mkhwanazi's statements revealed a series of striking U-turns, forcing him to confront his own words and actions.
One of the most glaring inconsistencies revolved around payments received from Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala. Mkhwanazi initially insisted that the "highest" amount he ever received from Matlala was "between R15 000 and R20 000 for petrol and food, and for funeral expenses.” However, evidence presented by Advocate Sello Mahlape SC revealed a far more substantial figure. Records showed payments of R20 000 and R30 000, along with multiple smaller transfers, totalling more than R70 000 in 2022 alone.
Cornered by the evidence, Mkhwanazi conceded to receiving the larger sum. He insisted it was “support” between “brothers”, not bribery. The commission didn’t look convinced.
The commission also probed the matter of memorandums of understanding (MOUs), specifically those related to Medicare24 and CAT VIP. Mkhwanazi claimed he only referenced the Medicare24 MOU because it was the one he remembered, attributing his "forgetfulness" regarding the CAT VIP MOU to his suspension and the confiscation of documents.
However, commissioners pointed out that he mentioned CAT VIP extensively in his statement, meaning he clearly remembered the relationship. Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga pressed him repeatedly: “Why do you not reference the memorandum relating to CAT VIP? I find it difficult to understand.” Finally, he cracked: “I think it may be my oversight. I accept.”
Further complicating matters was Mkhwanazi's shifting stance on the existence of a working relationship with CAT VIP. He initially insisted that no such relationship existed, stating that it was "not yet" signed or operational. This directly contradicted his own 2023 written defence to EMPD chief of police Jabulani Mapiye, in which he stated: “I would like to confirm that we have a working relationship with CAT Security Services and its subsidiaries.” He even dated it: “This relationship started in 2020.”
When confronted with this contradiction, he blamed “the English”, saying: “It may be English. When we are wrong, we must accept.”
The issue of blue-light installations also proved to be a contentious point. Mkhwanazi repeatedly stated: “I did not install blue lights. I did not see the vehicles physically.” Commissioner Sandile Khumalo offered a surgical clarification: “No one is saying you held the screwdriver; the allegation is you enabled the process.”
Suddenly emotional, he trembled and pleaded: “I don’t wanna go to jail for something I did not do. I don’t wanna leave my kids, commissioners”, and then conceded he “facilitated” through MOUs and letters.
The commission also examined a letter from Matlala stating that CAT VIP had “signed a memorandum of agreement with EMPD”. When asked why he didn’t correct this false claim before forwarding the letter to fleet manager Chris Steyn, he said: The letter “spoke to him”. Commissioner Sandile Khumalo dryly responded: “Do you see the things you do when you’re excited?”
In conclusion, what began as the testimony of a feared enforcer transformed into a parade of apologies, “oversights”, language problems and revelations dragged out by patient commissioners who refused to let contradictions slide. The commission didn’t just expose questionable decisions; it also exposed a man forced to explain his own words back to himself.
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