Suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi has admitted that a police clearance certificate submitted during the registration of Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala's company for the Ekurhuleni Peace Corps was fraudulent.
At the Madlanga Commission hearing on Wednesday, Mkhwanazi was questioned about a South African Police Service (SAPS) clearance certificate that Medicare24 chief executive Mike van Wyk had sent to him as part of the process to register Matlala's company in the municipal volunteer programme.
Presented with an SAPS affidavit stating that the document was fraudulent, Mkhwanazi said he accepted the finding.
"It is a fraudulent document. I agree … I can't contest that,” he said.
He also agreed that the SAPS affidavit denouncing the clearance certificate was legitimate.
Mkhwanazi refused to answer questions related to the theft of precious stones worth R14 million that he allegedly organised, as alleged by Witness K on Tuesday. He said he had not received the transcript from the commission and could not prepare on time.
Mkhwanazi is out on R30 000 bail, alongside his co-accused city manager Kagiso Lerutla who allegedly paid R400 000 for impersonation in an excessive speeding case.
The commission questioned him regarding his approval of Medicare24 and Cat VIP Protection to work as Ekurhuleni peace officers.
According to the SAPS affidavit: "The Police Clearance Certificate purportedly issued to Mr Matlala has a discrepancy with regard to the unique transaction number and inquiry number, which do not reconcile to a specific police clearance certificate in question."
The SAPS further found that the certificate had originally been issued to another person and that no application had been received from Matlala for the certificate in question.
"The signature of the fraudulent [Police Clearance Certificate] appears to have been forged, although there are features that resemble those of the authorised person," the affidavit states.
The commission heard that Matlala had applied for a police clearance certificate in June 2021. At the time, SAPS records reflected convictions for housebreaking and theft, for which he had been sentenced to four years' imprisonment.
Evidence leaders told the commission that the certificateVan Wyk submitted to the EMPD stated that Matlala had no criminal convictions, despite his criminal record.
Mkhwanazi testified that Van Wyk had approached the City of Ekurhuleni with proposals to assist EMPD officers injured in the line of duty and provide support services, including blood testing for suspected drunk drivers.
Mkhwanazi said the initiative was intended to address staff shortages by deploying volunteers to assist with traffic management, school crossings and community events.
"The objective, as I said before, was to assist us in terms of traffic lights, conducting traffic during peak hours and to assist when schoolchildren are crossing roads," he said.
"On weekends, we have challenges with funerals and events taking place within the city and we have limited officers."
He said volunteers would help reduce overtime costs incurred when EMPD officers were deployed for those duties.
Mkhwanazi testified that the city sought to recruit participants from established security companies, such as Matlala’s VIP protection, because they were operational and experienced in responding to emergencies and supporting crime prevention efforts.
He acknowledged that Peace Corps members would exercise certain functions ordinarily performed by EMPD officers, including traffic control and community safety duties.
Mkhwanazi said police clearance certificates were required to ensure that volunteers did not have criminal records. He said he had not personally assessed the certificates submitted by applicants.
"I do not evaluate clearance certificates," he said, adding that he had forwarded the document sent by Van Wyk to the EMPD training division for processing.