South Africa: Ekurhuleni Appoints Acting Manager After Lerutla Airport Arrest

20 April 2026
Scrolla (Johannesburg)
By Palesa Matlala
  • Kagiso Lerutla was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport. He faces fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice charges.
  • Tsholofelo Koopedi will act as the city manager today as Lerutla appears in the Boksburg Magistrate's Court alongside Julius Mkhwanazi.

The City of Ekurhuleni has appointed Tsholofelo Koopedi to act as city manager after the arrest of Kagiso Lerutla at OR Tambo International Airport.

Koopedi will only hold the acting job for today. There is pressure to suspend Lerutla.

Lerutla is 40 years old. He has been the city manager for five months. Before that, he worked as the city's chief financial officer.

He faces charges of fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice.

Lerutla will appear in the Boksburg Magistrate's Court today. He will appear alongside Julius Mkhwanazi, the suspended deputy chief of the Ekurhuleni Metro Police.

Phakamile Mbengashe is the spokesperson for the City of Ekurhuleni.

He said: "We are here as the city to find out what is in front of the court. We'll engage and comment after proceedings today."

Read the original article on Scrolla.

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