Madlanga Commission hears more details about Mbense’s death

Senior IPID investigator Nomsa Masuku testifies before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.

The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has heard the warning statement of suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) Deputy-Police Chief Commissioner Julius Mkhwanazi, read by senior Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) investigator Nomsa Masuku.

The statement is in relation to the events of the murder of Brakpan businessman, Emmanuel Mbense.

Mkhwanazi has been implicated in Mbense’s murder by the late Witness D, after he alleged that the suspended deputy police chief was called to clean up the killing.

Mbense was tortured and killed allegedly by police officers and his body was dumped in a dam in Nigel, east of Johannesburg.

However, Mkhwanazi’s version of events states that the said operation did not belong to the EMPD. Masuku read the statement to the commission.

“Brigadier J. Mkhwanazi stated that he told Jaco that he was frustrated because they were standing next to nine white males. Brigadier J. Mkhwanazi alleged that he then shouted at Jaco as he had woken him up and invited him to a crime scene which was not an EMPD operation. Julius claims he then stood outside the gate a few minutes with intention to leave, but he suspected that the unknown white males inside the yard wanted to move items outside of the truck.”

Masuku also testified about how a South African Police Service vehicle driven by a police reservist, Alexandra “Zander” Fritz, was outside Mbense’s home.

Masuku is shed more details about Mbense’s death.

“The driver of the vehicle was driven by Alexandra Fritz. The one yesterday, I said, had visited the mom’s place later after the body was recovered. So, I managed to find that this car was driven by him as a reservist, but he was driving alone. He didn’t have a crew with him.”