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Julius Doctor Mkhwanazi (born 1973) is a South African law enforcement official who served as Deputy Chief of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD). He came to national attention in November 2025 when he was suspended by the City of Ekurhuleni following allegations of corruption, abuse of power, and irregular promotions within the department. [1] [2]
Julius Mkhwanazi was born on February 5, 1973, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Mkhwanazi rose through the ranks of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department and became its Deputy Chief. According to testimony presented at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, he at times acted as Chief of the Community Safety Department, which oversees the EMPD. [3]
In 2025, Mkhwanazi was implicated in a series of allegations presented before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, a judicial probe into corruption in law enforcement structures. Former deputy chief Revo Spies testified that Mkhwanazi authorized more than 50 promotions within the EMPD over a three-month period without proper vetting or administrative procedure. [4]
Reports by Eyewitness News and other outlets alleged that Mkhwanazi authorised the installation of blue lights on vehicles belonging to Vusimuzi Matlala, an individual alleged to have criminal associations with the Big 5 cartel. [5]
According to reporting by The Star , officials alleged that Mkhwanazi's department may have made use of forged memorandum of understanding (MOUs) that created unofficial working relationships between the EMPD and companies linked to that of Vusimuzi Matlala. [6]
The Madlanga Commission also heard allegations that Mkhwanazi had interfered with crime scenes. [7] During the commission hearings, a video was shown of Mkhwanazi and the rogue unit raiding a factory in Meyerton, outside their operation boundaries. Mkhwanazi and the rogue EMPD officers stole copper at a workshop in August 2022. Jaco Hanekom, a supervisor and whistleblower who exposed the EMPD operation at the said workshop, was later killed in March 2023 after the EMPD officers who were arrested were granted bail. [8] Testimony also revealed that Mkhwanazi allegedly refused to undergo formal vetting by the State Security Agency, despite a 2022 screening that reportedly identified hundreds of officers with criminal records within the EMPD. [9] [10] Another allegation leveled against Mkhwanazi is being an accessory to a murder that happened on 15 April 2022 in the Brakpan area. It is alleged that the victim was tortured on the scene and the body was dumped in a dam on Mkhwanazi's instruction. [10]
EMPD's specialized services unit, under Mkhwanazi's command, is also linked to the theft of a truck and its load in Putfontein, Benoni, and the kidnapping of the driver, in March 2023. [11]
It is also alleged that Mkhwananzi and his rogue unit were involved in the Precious Stones case, which occurred in the Hillbrow-Kensington area in 2024, where police are accused of stealing precious stones worth R45-million. [12]
On 11 November 2025, the City of Ekurhuleni announced that it had suspended Mkhwanazi pending disciplinary action and further investigation. [13] [2] The city manager emphasized that the suspension was an administrative measure and did not constitute a finding of guilt. [14]
The allegations and subsequent suspension have drawn national attention to issues of corruption, inadequate oversight, and alleged criminal infiltration within South African municipal police departments. [15]
Julius Mkhwanazi is married to Esethu Mkhwanzi and they have three children.
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