Suspended Chief of Police of the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) Isaac Mapiyeye has told the Madlanga Commission that CAT VIP Protection (Pty) Ltd, owned by alleged drug cartel member Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala provided security during the City of Ekurhuleni’s 2022 State Of the City Address (SOCA).
Mapiyeye revealed this information on Thursday at the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System taking place in Pretoria.
Knew nothing about security arrangement
In his testimony on Thursday, Mapiyeye told Advocate Mahlape Sello SC, the commission’s evidence leader, that he knew nothing about the deployment of Matlala’s security personnel to the City’s March 2022 SOCA.
Mapiyeye’s testimony is led by Sello. And Sello is assisted by another evidence leader of the commission Advocate Ofentse Motlhasedi.
Mapiyeye said on March 30 2022 “additional members” were supplied to the State of the City Address of the City.
He said the city received threats that there were people attempting to “collapse” the 2022 SOCA. Therefore the EMPD’s deputy chief of police Julius Mkhwanazi decided to get Matlala’s security personnel to the city’s SOCA.
“Mkhwanazi was attempting to run a parallel security process in the City of Ekhuruleni,” said Mapiyeye.
Mapiyeye said he knew nothing about the security deployment of Matlala’s security personnel for the city’s 2022 SOCA.
Meanwhile, in September, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said Julius Mkhwanazi installed state blue lights in about five vehicles belonging to Matlala.
Blue lights in Matlala’s vehicles
Mkhwanazi also said after Julius installed the state blue lights in Matlala’s private vehicles, he registered them as EMPD vehicles.
Julius is currently on special leave.
The commission is taking place at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria. It is chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.
The commission resumes on Friday at 9.30am, with the continuation of Mapiyeye’s testimony.
In September last year, the City of Ekurhuleni placed Mapiyeye on precautionary suspension. The move was due to sexual harassment allegations against him.
City of Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini gave details on the matter. He said Mapiyeye was served with his letter of suspension on September 25 2024. And the City of Ekurhuleni appointed an independent investigator to probe the sexual misconduct allegations against Mapiyeye.
In early September last year, Mapiyeye appeared at the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court with regards to allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation.
A 40-year-old complainant has accused Mapiyeye of sexual harassment and intimidation. The said complainant works as an EMPD metro police officer.
The complainant, whose identity is known to Sunday World, asked for a protection order. She requested that the court make an interim protection order she obtained against Mapiyeye final.
Sexual harassment charges
On August 13 2024, the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court issued the temporary protection order against Mapiyeye.
The complainant claimed that Mapiyeye touched her private parts in his private car in 2023. She said this in a statement to the police on July 12 2024 at the Brakpan police station.
The complainant said she suffered harassment from him after she refused to sleep with him in exchange for a job promotion.
The first incident of sexual harassment occurred in October 2023, according to the complainant.
She said the second incident of sexual harassment happened in November 2023.
