Blue-lights saga ‘just tip of the iceberg’ of Ekurhuleni fraud: Gxasheka

Allegations ofJulius Mkhwanazifraudulently fitting blue lights to a fleet belonging to Vusi “Cat” Matlala and rogue EMPD officers being accused of criminality are just “a tip of an iceberg” in Ekurhuleni. This is according to suspended head of human resourcesLinda Gxasheka, accused of protecting Mkhwanazi from facing a disciplinary hearing over the blue-lights saga. Gxasheka, who is in the hot seat at the commission to respond to the allegations, has painted a wide picture of the “challenges” that she was faced with from when she presumed her office in February 2023 till she was placed on suspension last year.

“Chairperson, with all due respect, your task team has limited scope, and in Ekurhuleni, what we are dealing with here is just a small part of the tip of the iceberg. “And I am hoping with the new task team announced by the president will also look at the other things as well,” she said. Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga then asked Gxasheka what she meant.

She responded that currently there are about 40 forensic investigations that are completed and the city is yet to implement their recommendations. In her examples, Gxasheka spoke about another ongoing investigation wherein the allegations are thatcity tractor-loader-backhoe (TLBs) are being stolen and soldin the Eastern Cape. She further told the commission that there was another incident in which a company that is not in the city supplier database was receiving payments from the council. She said after the investigations revealed who the key suspect was, a unionist instructed her to settle the matter in the suspect’s favour or else her house will be shot at.