Acting Ekurhuleni Metro Police Chief, Julius Mkhwanazi, has been implicated in a shocking copper theft scandal after CCTV footage captured him and several metro police officers at a workshop in Meyerton where copper cables were allegedly stolen under the guise of a police operation. The matter came to light during testimony before the Madlanga Commission on Monday.
Retired deputy chief Revo Spies told the commission that the footage was provided by informant Jaco Hanekom — who was tragically murdered on the same day the officers were granted bail. Hanekom was reportedly shot dead in a drive-by shooting, sparking suspicions of foul play linked to his whistleblowing activities.
The CCTV footage viewed by the commission showed multiple EMPD officers, led by Mkhwanazi, conducting what appeared to be a raid at the workshop. However, Spies testified that the “operation was not recorded in any EMPD files,” and that there was “no lawful seizure of copper.” He described the incident bluntly: “What happened there was theft, pure and simple.”
The footage also showed two unmarked EMPD vehicles and a civilian, identified only as Etienne, participating in the raid — a move Spies described as “highly irregular and illegal,” stressing that civilians have no authority to join police operations.
According to Spies, the same group of officers later returned to the workshop to confiscate the hard drive containing the incriminating footage. Unbeknownst to them, Hanekom had already made a copy, which Spies later handed over to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) for further investigation.
Spies concluded his testimony by clarifying that the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department has no legal jurisdiction to seize copper or second-hand goods — a mandate reserved for the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The revelations have raised serious questions about corruption within the EMPD and the safety of informants exposing police misconduct.
