By 
EKURHULENI — Gauteng’s Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) has stepped in to demand stricter discipline, heightened accountability, and improved governance within the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) following years of internal investigations into serious officer misconduct.
Gauteng COGTA MEC Jacob Mamabolo voiced deep concern over persistent incidents of ill-discipline plaguing the department, emphasizing that clean municipal law enforcement is vital for public trust, effective crime fighting, and service delivery.
Scandals and Disciplinary Measures
Investigations spanning the past five years have revealed widespread allegations of bribery, corruption, abuse of authority, and collusion with criminal syndicates within the EMPD. To date, these internal probes have led to the suspension of 16 officers, the dismissal of eight others, and 15 pending disciplinary cases.
“Municipal law enforcement officers occupy positions of public trust. It is therefore important that allegations of misconduct are dealt with swiftly, fairly, and consistently,” said Mamabolo. “Timely disciplinary processes strengthen accountability, protect the integrity of the institution, and provide certainty to both employees and the public.”
To tackle integrity gaps, the MEC backed the City of Ekurhuleni’s initiative to conduct comprehensive lifestyle and background vetting across the entire police force.
Operational and Resource Strains
Beyond misconduct, the provincial government raised alarms over operational vulnerabilities within the EMPD. Out of the department’s total workforce of 2,077 officers, 1,943 are assigned to frontline operational duties, with 134 fulfilling administrative roles.
However, equipment shortages and missing weaponry continue to hamper police capacity:
- Stolen Firearms: During the past financial year, seven EMPD-issued handguns and one shotgun were stolen. Mamabolo called for an immediate, thorough investigation into each loss to establish accountability and tighten security protocols.
- Fleet Breakdown: Out of the municipality’s 1,498 law enforcement vehicles, nearly 20%—297 cars—are out of service due to mechanical breakdowns, maintenance backlogs, or accident damage.
Financial Balance and Provincial Intervention
The provincial executive also highlighted the high financial burden required to keep officers on the street, pointing to steep expenditures in fuel, overtime, and fleet repairs.
“The challenge is to strike the right balance between providing our officers with the resources they need to keep communities safe and ensuring that every rand spent delivers maximum value for residents,” Mamabolo said.
To ensure long-term stability, Gauteng COGTA will intervene directly in Ekurhuleni through the Local Government Turnaround and Strategy (LGTAS) Institutional Capacity Workstream. The initiative aims to enforce consequence management, optimize operational budgeting, and professionalize local policing across the Gauteng City Region.
