By Palesa Matlala
- Former city manager Imogen Mashazi and human resources head Linda Gxasheka will fight for bail in court on Friday morning.
- State prosecutors say senior Ekurhuleni officials protected a metro police boss from internal charges while taking massive salary increases themselves.
Two jailed former Ekurhuleni city bosses will fight for their freedom on Friday. Former city manager Imogen Mashazi and former human resources head Linda Gxasheka want bail at the Germiston Magistrate’s Court.
The two women are sleeping in police cells while state lawyers check their home addresses. They face charges of fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice.
Neither woman has pleaded to the charges yet. They stand accused alongside suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi and suspended legal head Kemi Behari.
Mkhwanazi and Behari already walked free. The court gave them R50,000 bail each on Thursday.
The arrests flow from evidence heard at the Madlanga Commission. The commission is investigating corruption, abuse of power and interference in law enforcement.
Witnesses told the commission that a network of top city bosses protected each other instead of acting against senior figures.
State prosecutors say officials blocked Mkhwanazi from facing internal disciplinary action. Former municipal employee relations head Xolani Nciza told the commission that the city suddenly stopped Mkhwanazi’s case in 2023.
Prosecutors believe Mashazi, Gxasheka and Behari all helped to make the charges disappear.
The commission heard that Behari and Gxasheka got massive salary increases. They allegedly took home an extra R600,000 while Mkhwanazi’s case stalled.
All four accused officials deny the charges. They say they did nothing wrong.
Friday’s court battle will decide if Mashazi and Gxasheka can go home. State prosecutors will answer their bail requests after checking their addresses. Investigators are still building their major criminal case against the group.
Pictured above: Suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi and suspended legal head Kemi Behari appeared in the Germiston Magistrate’s Court on corruption related charges.
Image source: Palesa Matlala
