A suspended Ekurhuleni metro police chief planned the theft of precious stones worth more than R14-million because he was desperate for money. That is what his former lover told a commission of inquiry this week.

The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry heard the claims on Tuesday from a Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department officer who testified under the pseudonym Witness K. She told the commission she was previously in a relationship with Julius Mkhwanazi and often helped him with money when they were together.

Witness K said Mkhwanazi kept asking her for cash and eventually pushed her for a way to get more.

She told him about an apartment in Killarney where valuable stones were being stored. She then admitted that she, Mkhwanazi and three others later stole the stones while posing as police officers on an operation.

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"Sometime in January or early February 2023, Mr Mkhwanazi became very persistent about getting the information on the stones and continuously followed up with me until I was able to get in touch with the informer," she told the commission.

The testimony is not the only damage done to Mkhwanazi this week. Businessman Mike van Wyk also appeared before the commission and alleged that Mkhwanazi used a fraudulent memorandum of understanding to help secure police blue lights for his private vehicle.

The commission was also shown a WhatsApp video in which Van Wyk is seen holding a thick stack of cash and fanning himself with it.

"Hey Julius, I hope you're having a warm day like we have here. This fan of mine is not working so lekker. Anyways, I have another one here. Please tell me how we're going to spend this money," Van Wyk says in the video.

The commission has already recommended that Mkhwanazi be referred for possible criminal prosecution and disciplinary action. He is back before the commission today, where he will have to answer the growing list of allegations against him.