South Africa: Former Ekurhuleni Boss Among Four Arrested in Madlanga Sweep

9 July 2026
Scrolla (Johannesburg)
By Anita Dangazele
  • Former Ekurhuleni city manager Imogen Mashazi was arrested on Wednesday night, alongside her former head of legal and head of HR.
  • The charges against all four have not yet been released; police say details will follow after their court appearance.

Former Ekurhuleni city manager Imogen Mashazi was arrested overnight on Wednesday, in a coordinated operation by the Madlanga Commission's Recommendations Task Team.

She was one of four people arrested, alongside suspended head of legal services Kemi Behari and suspended head of human resources Linda Gxasheka.

Mashazi ran the entire metro, overseeing 25 departments and more than 18,000 employees, before her tenure ended amid the commission's investigation.

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She has been accused of shielding EMPD chief Julius Mkhwanazi from disciplinary action over his dealings with businessman Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala's companies, allegations she repeatedly denied under oath, at one point telling the commission, "I did nothing wrong."

The commission separately heard that Mashazi took a privately chartered flight to London in July 2022, costing between R3.3 million and R3.5 million, allegedly paid for by businessman Ze Nxumalo.

The Democratic Alliance in Ekurhuleni said this week it had submitted fresh whistleblower evidence to police linking Mashazi to two luxury properties in Meyersdal Eco Estate worth an estimated R60 million.

Neither of these claims has been shown to relate directly to the Mkhwanazi matter.

Witnesses separately told the commission that Behari and Gxasheka received salary increases worth around R600,000, allegedly in exchange for making sure disciplinary proceedings against Mkhwanazi never moved forward.

It is not yet known which of these matters, if any, forms the basis of Wednesday night's arrests.

Police have said further details, including charges, will only be released once the suspects have appeared in court.

Police confirmed all four suspects are due to appear at the Germiston Magistrate's Court.

Mkhwanazi himself was arrested in April and is currently out on R30,000 bail.

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