WATCH! Madlanga Commission Hears, DJ Sbu And TK Nciza Named As R100m Grants Probe ‘Blocked’

The Madlanga Commission on Monday, 9 February, heard testimony alleging that a disciplinary investigation into a senior Ekurhuleni official was abruptly shut down despite evidence of misconduct.

Ekurhuleni’s legal head, Advocate Kemi Behari, told the commission that an inquiry involving former chief operating officer Mojapelo was halted, even though it centred on more than R100 million in municipal grants linked to events.

Celebrities Allegedly Benefited as Probe Came to a Standstill

Behari testified that the grants in question allegedly benefited well-known figures TK Nciza and DJ Sbu Leope, and that efforts to pursue accountability were deliberately blocked.

“All [investigations] have been blocked. And that is why now I’m facing repercussions—because Nciza mentioned one thing,” Behari told the commission.

He explained that he became involved in Mojapelo’s labour matter under instruction from his head of department and the HR HOD, and not at the request of the city manager.

“The only time I was involved in labour matters was when it dealt with a senior manager,” Behari said.

He further told the commission that Nciza’s close relationship with Mojapelo complicated the investigation, and that attempts to secure witnesses for the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) report were unsuccessful.

‘Evidence Points to Them,’ Behari Tells Madlanga Commission

According to Behari, pressure was applied to prevent the matter from progressing.

“The only people we can call now are TK Nciza and [DJ] Sbu Leope, because they’re the ones the evidence is pointing to as having benefited from this entire thing,” he said.

Behari said the investigation effectively came to an end when his HOD later informed him that the matter had been settled. He told the commission that the decision led to professional consequences for him.

Beyond the grants issue, Behari raised concerns about governance failures within Ekurhuleni, including flawed public participation processes related to special levies.

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He said these failures resulted in losses estimated at around R200 million.

“You put in a special levy, then only when Tembisa’s uprising happened did you decide to go back. But your initial process of public participation was flawed,” Behari explained.

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He also referred to broader issues such as expropriation without compensation and complex property disputes involving wetlands, describing them as matters of national importance.

‘My Loyalty Is to the Citizens,’ Says Legal Head

Behari stressed that his role was not driven by political considerations but by his duty to residents.

“I don’t get involved in individual politics. The extent of my relationship with the city manager was that he was my accounting officer, and I continued calling [him] the city manager, and that’s it, Chair,” he said.

The commission heard that political interference and blocked investigations undermined accountability, leaving both the grants controversy and the rates losses unresolved at the time of Behari’s testimony.