Mkhwanazi admits Matlala’s police clearance was fake as the Madlanga Commission probes his proposed EMPD peace officer role.
Suspended EMPD acting chief commissioner Julius Mkhwanazi has conceded that alleged businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s police clearance certificate was fraudulent, while defending plans to place him in a peace officer programme.
Testifying before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry this week, Mkhwanazi said Matlala was considered for a role aimed at assisting the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) with traffic management, school safety operations and public events — not frontline policing.
“The objective was to assist us with traffic lights and to also assist during hours when children are going to school,” Mkhwanazi told the commission.
He said the programme was designed to support the EMPD, which often faces shortages of manpower during busy periods such as weekends, funerals and major gatherings.
