By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry returns its focus on suspended Metro Police Deputy Chief, Julius Mkhwanazi as they attempt to explore further incidents with the Ekuruleni Metropolitan Municipality.
Mkhwanazi was originally supposed to return in March but was postponed on the count of the death of Mkhwanazi’s mother. The Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) suspended deputy chief is currently facing a slew of corruption allegations which includes using the EMPD for his own personal gains.
Mkhwanazi has appeared before the commission before as he was distinctly remembered as looking guilty as he is accused of having a close connection to controversial business man Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
Witnesses have also accused Mkhwanazi of wrongfully promoting people if they proved loyal to him and is also implicated in the murder of Emmanuel Mbense and covering it up. In 2022 Mbense was tortured by police officers as his body was found in the Germiston lake which came from orders given by Mkhwanazi.
In the case of his mother’s death, Mkhwanazi assured the commission that he did not fabricate this story and that the mother he is referring to is indeed his step mother who Mkhwanazi holds with high regard as she has raised and shaped the man he is today he claims.
“I did not lie…she is my mother, she raised me…she is the wife of my father” Mkhwanazi told the commission.
The commission has accepted this explanation from Mkhwanazi. “In our culture there is no such thing as stepmother, those are English terms in our culture, someone who raises us, they are our mother, fullstop.” said co-commissioner Sandile Khumalo who supported this interpretation.
Chairperson of the Commission Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga had extended his apologies for the line of questioning and noted that key Home Affairs documents had only recently been received.
He also instructed Mkhwanazi to submit all relevant documents to give more clarity to the matter while the inquiry takes place.
The commission has also emphasised that the inquiry will remain focused on establishing the facts surrounding the deceased and to focus on the accuracy of the documentation submitted to the commission.