Ekurhuleni City Manager, Kagiso Lerutla, has been involved in series of corruption and fraud in his metro.
Image: Kamogelo Moichela / IOL News
A state affidavit opposing bail has raised concerns about Ekurhuleni City Manager Kagiso Lerutla’s past, including efforts to reconstruct a missing police docket linked to a fatal crash on the N12 in May 2021.
In the affidavit presented at the Boksburg Magistrate’s court on Thursday, Lerutla is alleged to have been driving a black Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon when it collided with a Hyundai.
The driver of the Hyundai died at the scene.
In one of the most serious claims contained in the document, a tow truck driver is expected to testify that he was allegedly offered R10,000 at the crash site to remove the deceased’s body before key officials arrived.
This raised questions about possible interference at the scene and the early handling of the case.
According to the state, the original culpable homicide docket, registered under Bedfordview CAS106/05/2021, was later withdrawn in August 2023, but has since gone missing from SAPS storage.
Prosecutors now say the disappearance of the file has triggered a parallel investigation into its loss and content, with a reconstructed docket currently at an advanced stage.
The state argued that the rebuilding of evidence has uncovered inconsistencies and new leads that have reopened the scope of the investigation far beyond the original withdrawal.
Investigators say the reconstruction process has been central in reviving key witness statements and timelines that were previously unavailable.
The affidavit suggested the case is no longer being treated as a closed administrative matter, but as an active and expanding criminal inquiry, with potential additional charges being considered as evidence is reassessed.
In a separate but connected legal matter, Lerutla and suspended EMPD acting chief Julius Mkhwanazi appeared in court over allegations dating back to March 2019 involving an alleged scheme to bypass the justice system.
The state claimed Lerutla, who was required to appear in court for a traffic-related offence, instead arranged for a paid impersonator known as “Mr X” to appear on his behalf while he attended a job interview.
Prosecutors alleged the impersonator completed diversion paperwork using Lerutla’s details, effectively standing in for him before the court.
The State further contended that the arrangement was part of a broader scheme involving alleged gratification of up to R400,000, suggesting a deliberate attempt to manipulate official processes for personal and professional gain.
Lerutla has not yet responded publicly to the latest affidavit claims.
The court is expected to continue hearing arguments as investigators push forward with both the reconstructed docket and the broader fraud-related allegations, which now place the senior municipal official under scrutiny.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
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