Suspended chief of police Isaac Mapiyeye of the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) told the Madlanga commission that the former city manager, Imogen Mashazi, threatened him with hitmen.
Mapiyeye revealed this information on Friday at the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System, which took place in Pretoria.
In his testimony, Mapiyeye told Adv Mahlape Sello SC, the commission’s evidence leader, that in 2023 Mashazi told him that she would “hand him over” to Zanemvula Jothan Msibi, a taxi boss who died in January 2024.
Msibi, popularly known as Mswazi, was a wealthy Pretoria taxi owner and transport mogul. He died in a Pretoria hospital in January 2024 due to an undisclosed illness.
Mapiyeye said that in 2023, Mashazi told him that he and the then EMPD deputy police chief responsible for auxiliary and logistical support, Revo Spies, must stop “pursuing” and “pushing” to see EMPD deputy chief of police Julius Mkhwanazi charged by the municipality for allegedly installing the state’s blue lights in personal vehicles belonging to alleged drug cartel member Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
Late taxi boss mentioned
“The city manager told me she will hand over me and Spies to hitmen, and she mentioned a Mr Mswazi,” said Mapiyeye.
“She said Spies and I are pushing and pursuing the matter of ensuring that Julius Mkhwanazi is prosecuted by the municipality for installing the state’s blue lights in private vehicles. She said she will hand us over to hitmen.
“I did not worry and chose to let it be. I did not know then who Mr Mswazi was. I happened to learn at a later stage who Mswazi was.
“In 2024, I was having breakfast with a colleague in Kempton Park. The colleague told me he is going to a memorial service for Mswazi Msibi.
“I asked who Mswazi Msibi is, and he said he is one of the hitmen in the country. He said Msibi has taxi businesses. That is the information he gave me. I remained unmoved after hearing that information.”
Mapiyeye, who started testifying on Thursday, concluded his testimony on Friday.
The commission, which is taking place at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria, is chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.
State’s blue lights
In September, KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said Mkhwanazi installed the state’s blue lights in about five vehicles belonging to Matlala.
Mkhwanazi also stated that after he installed the blue lights in Matlala’s private vehicles, he registered them as EMPD vehicles. Mkhwanazi is currently on special leave.
In September 2024, the City of Ekurhuleni placed Mapiyeye on precautionary suspension due to sexual harassment allegations against him.
Zweli Dlamini, the spokesperson for the City of Ekurhuleni, stated at the time that Mapiyeye received his letter of suspension on September 25, 2024.
Dlamini said Mashazi appointed an independent investigator to probe the sexual misconduct allegations against Mapiyeye.
