Loyalty Pays: How an Embattled EMPD Chief’s Allies Got R600,000 ‘Thank You’ Bonuses

In the world of Ekurhuleni municipal politics, loyalty to the right person appears to have a very specific price tag: just over half a million rand.

This was the stunning revelation at the Madlanga Commission on Wednesday, where former human resources head Xolani Nciza laid bare a timeline of events that paints a picture of a city administration where rules were bent to reward protection and allegiance.

A Disciplinary Process Vanishes, and Bonuses Appear

The story centres on the suspended and controversial acting chief of the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD), Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi. Mkhwanazi, who faces accusations of running a rogue “SWAT” unit, misconduct, and forging documents, was the subject of a disciplinary process.

According to Nciza, that process was abruptly stopped by the former City Manager, Dr. Imogen Mashazi, on June 20, 2023.

Just two weeks later, a report materialised recommending massive salary increases for two officials: Linda Gasheka and Advocate Kemi Behari. The total value of these increases was R600,000.

Nciza did not mince words when describing the connection. He called the pay hikes a “token of appreciation” from Mashazi to those who “aligned themselves to her instructions.” In his view, the unspoken message was clear: “My person is not to be touched, and you have ensured that my person is not touched. Here is the increase.”

The Blatant Irregularity

What makes these increases so explosive, beyond their timing, is their blatant disregard for municipal policy. Nciza testified that the report justifying the raises had no basis.

Both officials were still on probation, barely four months into their new roles. The report offered no justification based on new responsibilities, stellar performance reviews, or any structural changes. “What was in March is exactly what was in July,” Nciza stated. “Yet suddenly, they were awarded massive increases.”

Commission co-chair Advocate Sesi Baloyi immediately honed in on the illegitimacy, pointing out that there is no policy or contractual clause that supports such a radical salary adjustment during an employee’s probationary period.

Nciza reinforced this, explaining that a national regulatory framework sets strict upper limits for municipal remuneration. “There is simply no provision for arbitrary adjustments like this,” he affirmed.

A Pattern of Protection

This testimony builds on a growing narrative at the commission of an administration operating with its own set of rules. Nciza’s evidence, alongside previous testimonies from former EMPD bosses, suggests a culture where protecting key allies was prioritized over accountability and good governance.

The picture emerging is not just one of individual largesse, but of a system allegedly manipulated to insulate certain figures from consequences, with lucrative rewards for those who ensured the shield remained firmly in place. For the residents of Ekurhuleni, it reveals a troubling cost to the politics of loyalty.

{Source: IOL}

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