ANC accused of meddling in Ekurhuleni police affairs

The suspended head of Ekurhuleni’s legal unit has accused the ANC of meddling in matters of the city’s metro police department. Painting a picture of political infiltration, Adv Kemi Behari on Monday told the Madlanga commission that he was being pressurised to settle in two matters involving Ekurhuleni’s former human resources (HR) official, Xolani Nciza, and suspended police chief, Jabulani Isaac Mapiyeye. “Between June, July of 2025 I was brought under immense pressure by the current city manager Kagiso Lerutla, ….because of certain agreements reached [at the] regional conference of the ANC, that I must settle [the] issue of Nciza and Mapiyeye,” he said.

Behari told the commission that in relation to Nciza, who is accused of not having adequate qualifications, he was concerned that it will result in wasteful expenditure. On the issue of Mapiyeye, Behari said he could not motivate to settle as the matter is in relation to gender-based violence. “I am also involved in the SA chapter of the International Association of Women Judges as the secretary so, given all of this, where will I put my conscience when serious allegations have been made [and I] say no, it’s fine, let’s settle the matter,” he said.

Nciza previously told the Madlanga commission that after Behari and suspended head of HR, Linda Gxasheka, stopped investigations againstJulius Mkhwanazi, they were then rewarded with aR600,000 salary increase. It is alleged that Behari and Gxasheka worked with former municipal manager Imogen Mashazi to ensure that Mkhwanazi is exonerated over the allegations of fitting blue lights to a fleet belonging to Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala’s security company.