Defence urges state to withdraw charges in Julius Mkhwanazi blue lights case amid delays

Defence attorneys for former Ekurhuleni city manager Imogen Mashazi, ex-EMPD deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi, former Ekurhuleni head of human resources Linda Gxasheka, and suspended head of legal and risk services Khemraj “Kemi” Behari have urged the state to withdraw charges in the blue lights corruption case, citing delays in the prosecution's readiness to proceed.

The four appeared in Germiston Magistrate’s Court on Friday, 9 October 2026, and are currently out on R50 000 bail, facing corruption charges linked to alleged abuse of public office, unlawful salary adjustments, and obstruction of internal disciplinary processes. The allegations stem from a cover-up surrounding the unlawful installation of blue lights on vehicles belonging to a tenderpreneur named Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.

Prosecutors informed the court that they were still examining the accused's financial records and had not received all relevant information. They acknowledged the complexity of the investigation, noting that one accused had more than six bank accounts, while another had four. The prosecutor argued that the "relatively new matter" warranted additional time, stating it was not an ordinary case and that criminal proceedings must be conducted as swiftly as possible.

However, the defence contested the postponement, alleging that the prosecution had not complied with a court order requiring the case docket to be handed over. They also questioned the lengthy criminal proceedings, which had affected the accused's reputations and well-being. The defense further suggested invoking Section 342A of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) to examine the delays in the case.

The matter was postponed to 6 November 2026 for further investigations, with the state later agreeing to relax the reporting conditions for all four accused.