Suspended EMPD acting chief Julius Mkhwanazi and Ekurhuleni City Manager Kagiso Lerutla are expected to appear in the Boksburg Magistrates Court on Monday, following a dramatic weekend crackdown.
The two senior officials were arrested hours apart on charges of fraud, corruption, and defeating the ends of justice.Their arrests, carried out by specialised police units, mark a significant escalation in efforts to confront alleged abuse of power at the highest levels of local government.
Mkhwanazi was apprehended at his home on Saturday by a South African Police Service (SAPS) task team linked to the Madlanga Commission.
Just days earlier, he had testified before the commission, which is probing allegations of a justice system compromised by criminal networks.
Authorities, however, insist the charges against him are not connected to that testimony.
He is accused of exploiting his position to benefit close associates, including alleged tender figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
Separate allegations under investigation link him to the theft of precious stones from a Johannesburg resident, reportedly involving officers under his command.
Lerutla was arrested on Sunday at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. He faces identical charges, though police maintain his case is likewise unrelated to the commission’s proceedings.
Investigators have also dismissed any connection between the arrests and a probe by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) into a 2022 killing.
Both men are expected to appear side by side in court as pressure mounts for accountability.