Intelligence reveals EMPD officials involved in drug peddling – Ipid investigations boss

Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) acting national head of investigations, Thuso Keefelakae, has told the Madlanga commission that drug peddling is rampant among officials of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD).

On Wednesday, the commission focused on the Ipid’s account of criminality and corruption in the City of Ekurhuleni.

“With the EMPD, we have taken note of the challenges of crime, a particular crime trend in the area that is very problematic. You know, if the crime is committed by the people who are at the lower level, you would understand that the gravity is not much, and you are able to have the command and control to try and fix the problems,” explained Keefelakae.

“But when the problems are up there, and there is a whole lot of infighting and all of that, that then creates a problem, and hence the high number of cases there.

“What we have observed in that municipality is that there are other trends that we have identified through some intelligence that have been staged. It’s a problem. And we have the issue of drugs, the proliferation of drugs there. Drug peddling – it’s something that is a challenge in such a way that it’s a business.

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“The police are involved. The EMPD is involved in those kinds of things. They operate in such a way that they are in silos. This silo is responsible for making sure that, where drugs are concerned, it is our terrain. And those who are dealing with drugs that carry consignments of goods are in their terrain. It’s don’t touch.”

However, Keefelakae noted that other metros were not angels either, as they are dealing with their own issues.

Mkhwanazi disciplinary proceedings

On Tuesday, the commission heard testimony from Ekurhuleni’s head of legal services, Kemi Behari. His department drafted a letter in response to the Ipid’s report on suspended EMPD deputy commissioner Julius Mkhwanazi.

Mkhwanazi was placed on special leave in September last year after being linked to controversial businessman Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala.

Mkhwanazi allegedly entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with CAT VIP Protection, which led to some of the company’s vehicles being fitted with blue lights.

The company allegedly protected Ekurhuleni officials during the state of the city address in 2022.

Mkhwanazi is accused of entering into this MOU under false representations.

The municipality suspended him in November.

Mkhwanazi faced allegations of serious misconduct, and Ipid’s preliminary report in December 2023 called for disciplinary action against him.

ALSO READ: Mkhwanazi ‘had a working relationship’ with CAT VIP Protection, not EMPD

The Ipid had also referred Mkhwanazi’s matter to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for prosecution.

In response to Ipid’s report on Mkhwanazi, Behari’s department instead drafted a letter suggesting it would be “difficult to prove fraud and corruption” against him.

Behari told the commission his letter sought to address the implications of an EMPD official potentially being criminally charged.

His submissions failed to convince the commissioners on Tuesday.

Ekurhuleni’s ‘excuse’

On Wednesday, the commission asked Keefelakae whether, in a case where Ipid has recommended disciplinary action and criminal prosecution by the NPA, the municipality could say it could not act against an official because the matter is sub judice.

“Negative recommendations mean that we have investigated and we have found that there is a case to be answered by your member or members. So it’s a process that would run concurrently,” explained Keefelakae.

“The day we sent to the NPA is the day we sent to the municipality. So much so that the test is different that it will be on the balance of probability on one side and beyond a reasonable doubt on the other. But in the process, we make sure that it runs concurrently.

“There are instances wherein we would send only recommendations to take steps against their members because we cannot find any criminal element on a particular matter. Same with the municipality for them to take action. So it is a serious excuse that the matter is subjudicated, that we have referred the matter for criminal prosecution. I don’t know where it comes from. That could be just an excuse.”