The City of Ekurhuleni has set up a dedicated monitoring team to track all allegations before the Madlanga commission of inquiry and is finalising disciplinary processes against senior officials implicated in serious misconduct, mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza said on Wednesday in his State of the City Address.
Delivering the address before the council, Xhakaza said the administration had taken a deliberate decision not to comment on evidence publicly while the commission sits but had moved decisively behind the scenes to strengthen institutional safeguards.
“From the beginning, we took a conscious decision not to engage in a running commentary on allegations in the public domain. We have allowed the commission to do its work without interference, speculation or political posturing,” Xhakaza said.
Decisive steps taken
He said a dedicated administrative team was now monitoring all issues raised before the commission, with every allegation being recorded, assessed and prepared for appropriate administrative action.
“Where action has been required, this administration has not hesitated. Decisive steps have been taken, including the suspension of senior managers implicated in serious allegations, in line with the applicable regulations governing senior officials,” Xhakaza said.
According to the mayor, the majority of disciplinary processes arising from the commission’s work are being finalised.
The commission, chaired by retired judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga, was appointed to investigate allegations of maladministration, corruption, and governance collapse during the period referred to by Xhakaza as the “Barren Years”—spanning 2021–2024.
Testimony before the commission has exposed widespread lapses, including the manipulation of billing systems and the breakdown of oversight.
Xhakaza said the city had centralised communication on the commission’s work to ensure clarity and consistency and that a comprehensive vetting process within the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department was being implemented in collaboration with the State Security Agency.
“This process is critical in restoring public confidence and securing the credibility of our enforcement functions,” he said.
Open bidding process
The mayor also revealed that the council would receive the delayed auditor-general’s report for the financial year under review on Thursday.
“This issue is a matter we take seriously, and we will approach it with honesty, accountability, and decisive action,” Xhakaza said. He noted that the results of control failures in the ICT department – particularly regarding the solar and Siyakhokha systems that support billing and financial data management – would be addressed.
Regarding supply chain management, Xhakaza said the administration has ordered that the open bidding process be made public again, that all tenders found to be non-compliant be cancelled and reported to the National Treasury to be blocked, and that officials who did not stop non-compliance face consequences.
He added that lifestyle audits and security clearance would be conducted for all role players in supply chain processes.
Two tenders were singled out for further scrutiny. Xhakaza said the chemical toilet tender would be referred for a forensic investigation following concerns raised in the media and that a security tender was already before the municipal public accounts committee for appropriate action after a forensic investigation.
“Soon I shall be able to provide more details on these matters,” he said.
The mayor said that once the Madlanga commission concluded its work, the city stood ready to implement its recommendations and that an executive media briefing would be convened shortly to give a full account of corrective measures and the implementation of recommendations.
“As new allegations are exposed in the commission, the city remains committed to acting swiftly,” Xhakaza said.
“We are reinforcing internal controls, improving oversight mechanisms, and driving a culture of ethical leadership across the administration.”
R2.1-billion revenue shortfall
He added that the city’s “Fixing the Frontline” programme had been deployed to stabilise operations and ensure residents experienced tangible improvements in services even as governance matters were being addressed.
The mayor’s address came less than two years after his administration took office, inheriting what he described as a R2.1-billion revenue shortfall, collapsed billing systems and widespread institutional dysfunction.
He said the response to the Madlanga commission formed part of a broader effort to restore credibility and accountability.
“We are confronting these challenges directly, with discipline and responsibility,” Xhakaza said.
“Our focus remains on restoring confidence, improving performance, and ensuring that the City of Ekurhuleni serves its residents with integrity and consistency.”
