Ekurhuleni — The bail application for suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) chief Julius Mkhwanazi and Ekurhuleni City Manager Kagiso Lerutla will remain behind bars after their bail application was postponed to allow the state additional time to gather information.
The pair appeared before the Boksburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday, on charges of fraud, corruption, and defeating the ends of justice.
The matter, involves allegations of corruption, with the state identifying one accused as the alleged recipient and the other as the alleged giver of a bribe. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) indicated their intention to treat the case as a Schedule 5 offence, citing the seriousness of the corruption charge, and confirmed they would oppose bail Mkhwanazi and Lerutla.
Tensions emerged in court as the defence challenged the state’s request for a postponement for the bail application.
Both legal teams argued they were ready to proceed with the application, noting that the charge sheet had only been provided on Monday, the day of the accused’s first court appearance, leaving limited time to fully assess the details.
The state, however, maintained that it required additional time to prepare. The prosecutor told the court that because both accused were arrested over the weekend, further investigation was needed before proceeding with the bail application. This includes verifying Lerutla’s residential details who was arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday
According to the state, there had been an informal understanding with the defence to postpone the bail application to later in the week. This claim was firmly rejected by defence lawyers, who told the court they had received instructions to oppose any delay.
“It is late in the day, and while we may not complete the matter, a postponement would prejudice the first accused,” Mkhwanazi’s lawyer argued. The court heard that the first accused was arrested at his residence in the early hours of Saturday morning, and his address had already been confirmed.
The defence further questioned why the state was not ready to proceed, suggesting that the arrests appeared to be part of a pre-planned operation. “Under these circumstances, one would expect the state to have its house in order,” counsel submitted.
Legal representatives for Lerutla echoed these sentiments, noting that a warrant of arrest had been issued prior to the arrest, which should have provided authorities with sufficient information. They called on the court to require the state to specify what outstanding investigations necessitated further delays.
In response, the state argued that the complexity of the case justified additional time. Prosecutors revealed that a significant quantity of ammunition was discovered at Mkhwanazi’s house during his arrest, despite him being on suspension. Authorities are now investigating whether he was legally permitted to possess the ammunition, with the possibility of additional charges being considered.
Regarding Lerutla, the State said it needed to confirm key personal details, including residential address and family connections, to properly assess bail risk.
The prosecutor maintained that a short delay of two days was reasonable given the circumstances and the number of accused involved.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court granted the postponement. The case has been remanded to Thursday, 23 April 2026, when the bail application is expected to proceed.
Mkhwanazi and Lerutla remain in custody.
Meanwhile, ActionSA in Ekurhuleni says it will table a motion in Council calling for the immediate suspension of Lerutla.
According to the party, the Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000, as amended, is clear, the authority to suspend a City Manager vest solely with the Municipal Council.“ActionSA holds that the gravity of these charges necessitates the immediate suspension of Mr. Lerutla, not only to protect the integrity and public image of the city, but above all to uphold the principles of good governance,” said Xolani Khumalo, ActionSA Ekurhuleni Mayoral Candidate.
