Suspended EMPD deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi's testimony that two EMPD officers participated in the joint operation targeting suspects accused of selling fake stones online and defrauding the public came under scrutiny at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
Suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi’s testimony regarding a law-enforcement joint operation in 2023 targeting theft of precious stones in Johannesburg came under scrutiny at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday.
EMPD officers Kasher Leigh-Stolls and Adrian McKenzie are being probed by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) for the alleged R14 million precious stones theft in Johannesburg.
During his recent testimony at the commission Ipid senior investigator Thulani Magagula testified about the ongoing investigation into the matter, mentioning that McKenzie filed a further statement on January 15, 2026, confirming Mkhwanazi's presence at the scene.
On Wednesday, Mkhwanazi denied being present at the scene, stating that video footage shows he was not part of it.
"What is outstanding is to obtain a warning statement from Brigadier Mkhwanazi. When I contacted him telephonically he stated that he wanted to consult with his lawyers first," Magagula said in his statement.
In a written statement tabled before the commission, Mkhwanazi said that on February 8, 2023 he deployed a team to Edenvale and Johannesburg for a joint operation with the Gauteng traffic department and JMPD.
The operation, according to him, followed a complaint from the late Gauteng traffic department deputy chief inspector Guzuzu Gerald Maseko about suspects allegedly selling fake stones on social media and defrauding people.
"I gave him (Maseko) two members, they also asked their members. During the day he asked me to visit the area because some of our members were in Johannesburg. They didn't find anyone in Edenvale. We drove and found members who were still busy interrogating suspects. I communicated with officer McKenzie who confirmed that they started at the police station and were still busy with suspects," read Mkhwanazi’s statement to the commission.
The commission, however, highlighted that statements from two officers did not support Mkhwanazi’s version that he had deployed them.
According to Leigh-Stolls, in February 2023 she was on duty when she received a call from a Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) member identified as Motso.
Motso requested assistance in recovering lithium rocks suspected of being sold illegally by a suspect in the Rosebank area.
She indicated that they went to Rosebank SAPS and informed them that “we would be working in the area”.
“We then went to the address of the person who was illegally dealing in lithium. We were taken to the person;s flat by the security guard of the flats,” she said.
According to McKenzie’s statement, which corroborated Leigh-Stolls’s account as neither mentioned Mkhwanazi speaking to them or assigning them to the operation.
According to Warrant Officer Bethuel Mulaudzi from Rosebank police station, two people walked in to sign the occurrence book and there was no joint operation.
In a statement, Mulaudzi said the two officers had come to trace suspects involved in a business robbery that took place in Nigel.
Evidence leader Advocate Mehlape Sello pointed out that Mkhwanazi, in his supplementary statement, said he was told the operation concerned a problem in Johannesburg involving a person selling fake stones on social media platforms and defrauding people.
Mkhwanazi said the contents of Mulaudzi’s statement were worlds apart from what McKenzie, Leigh-Stolls and he had stated.
Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga suggested that the EMPD officers were on a frolic of their own that had nothing to do with proper regular and lawful policing.
"I accept what you are saying," Mkhwanazi said, adding that he was unaware that they were on a frolic of their own.
Asked if he had at no point before 2026 did informed Ipid of the allegation of theft of precious stones, Mkhwanazi responded that the allegations were coming from Ipid,
He added: “We have never in our lives informed our joint operation to Ipid.”
The inquiry will resume on Thursday.
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za