BREAKING NEWS: IPID says suspended Ekurhuleni Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi and others may soon be arrested for murder, truck hijacking and using state vehicles to commit crimes

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has indicated that suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi, along with several associates, could face imminent arrest on charges of murder, truck hijacking and using state vehicles to commit crimes. IPID’s Director of Investigations, Thuso Keefelakae, confirmed at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry that a report recommending disciplinary and criminal action against Mkhwanazi has been signed off, and that investigators are preparing to move on the case.

Mkhwanazi has been at the centre of multiple IPID probes, including allegations that he led a rogue EMPD unit implicated in a 2022 murder in Brakpan and that he allowed civilians to use EMPD vehicles for illegal activities, with some vehicles tracked near the Botswana border and in the Western Cape’s Du Toitskloof tunnel  ². The City of Ekurhuleni placed him on suspension in November 2025 and has launched an independent internal investigation, while stressing that the suspension is an administrative measure and not a finding of guilt.

IPID’s testimony at the Madlanga Commission has highlighted claims of political protection for Mkhwanazi, and officials say the investigation is now at a stage where arrests are “likely” pending final legal review. The case has drawn significant public attention, with authorities promising a thorough and transparent process.