Inside Mashazi’s Nonchalant ‘I’ll-Get-a-Stroke’ Testimony

When former Ekurhuleni city manager Imogen Mashazi walked into the Madlanga Commission this week, the room expected answers. What they got instead was a performance, part comedy, part deflection, part concerning lack of accountability.

Between applying lipstick, making faces, laughing under her breath, and scrolling endlessly on her phone, Mashazi dismissed serious questions with lines worthy of a soapie villain:
“I take your point.”
“No comment.”
“I’ll talk to my lawyers.”

Even worse? The accusations she came to explain were delivered without a shred of hard evidence.

A Hearing That Felt More Like a Standoff

Evidence leader Advocate Mahlape Sello SC repeatedly battled to keep Mashazi’s attention. At one point her voice softened so much that Sello snapped:

“You can’t hear me because you’re on your phone.”

Mashazi insisted she was “checking for evidence”yet not a single document ever surfaced.

And when asked if she’d return for further questioning?

“I will submit my response in writing… No, I can’t. I’ll get a stroke.”

The remark set social media blazing. On X (formerly Twitter), users joked that public hearings should come with medical disclaimers, while others expressed frustration that senior public officials casually dodge accountability with theatrics.

Serious Allegations, Zero Action

Among Mashazi’s biggest claims was that suspended EMPD chief Jabulani Mapiyeye preyed on female officers. She claimed sexual harassment, coercion and even rape were reported to her by multiple women.

But under oath, she conceded:

• None of the complaints were ever formalised

• She never launched an investigation

• She took no administrative action

Co-Commissioner Sesi Baloyi finally pressed:

“Do you have evidence?”

Mashazi responded by firing back her own questionsquestions she was not there to ask.

Baloyi cut her short:

“I am asking you questions; you don’t ask me questions.”

The exchange marked one of the most tense moments of the hearing.

The IPID Report She Ignored

Beyond the gender-based violence allegations, Mashazi also admitted she received an explosive IPID report in late 2023 recommending charges against acting EMPD chief Julius Mkhwanazi.

The report detailed:

• Fraud involving municipal vehicles

• Unlawful dealings with underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala

• City-owned vehicles registered under a private security company

Her response?
She did nothing.

This revelation sparked public outrage, especially in Ekurhuleni, where residents have long accused the metro of being run like a “free-for-all”.

A Testimony That Raised More Questions Than It Answered

Mashazi’s appearance, peppered with sarcasm, missing documents and memory lapses, left many wondering why such allegations were never escalated, recorded, or investigated.

Her conduct also reinforces a broader trend in South African public inquiries: officials appearing unprepared, unconcerned, and seemingly detached from the seriousness of the matters before them.

The Madlanga Commission had expected clarity. Instead, it witnessed a masterclass in avoidance.

Mashazi is expected to continue her testimony on Tuesday, if she returns.

{Source: IOL}

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