The Johannesburg Labour Court has dismissed an urgent application by the Municipal and Allied Workers Union of South Africa (MECSU) to halt disciplinary proceedings against suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi.
The ruling clears the way for Mkhwanazi’s internal disciplinary hearing to resume in April, where he is expected to face 13 charges, including fraud, gross dishonesty and gross negligence.
At the centre of the case is a fraud allegation involving controversial businessman Vusimusi Matlala. Mkhwanazi is accused of registering vehicles belonging to Matlala’s company as municipal assets on the National Traffic Information System (NaTIS).
The charge alleges that the vehicles were incorrectly captured as belonging to the municipality, raising serious concerns about the alleged abuse of official systems and the misrepresentation of ownership records.
MECSU had approached the court on an urgent basis in an attempt to stop the disciplinary process, arguing that the proceedings should not continue. However, the court dismissed the application, allowing the EMPD to proceed with its internal processes.
Mkhwanazi’s case comes amid heightened scrutiny of law enforcement structures in Ekurhuleni, following a series of corruption-related investigations and arrests involving police officials and controversial tenders.
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