The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) is facing renewed scrutiny after Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Jacob Mamabolo called for stronger discipline, improved governance and greater operational efficiency, while the City of Ekurhuleni confirmed that Metro Police Chief Isaac Mapiyeye has been cleared of disciplinary charges and has returned to work.
In a statement issued on Monday, Mamabolo said the integrity of municipal law enforcement is essential to maintaining public confidence, preventing crime and ensuring effective municipal service delivery.
While acknowledging the work performed by thousands of EMPD officers across the metro, the MEC said the department has opportunities to strengthen governance, improve operational performance and reinforce consequence management.
The EMPD currently employs 2,077 officers, of whom 1,943 are deployed to operational duties, and 134 perform administrative functions.
Mamabolo welcomed the City’s continued investment in maintaining a sizeable operational police force but encouraged the municipality to maximise frontline deployment and improve organisational effectiveness.
His comments come as the City confirmed that EMPD Chief Isaac Mapiyeye has resumed his duties after being cleared in a disciplinary process.
City spokesperson Phakamile Mbengashe said the proceedings against Mapiyeye had been finalised.
“The City of Ekurhuleni confirms that the disciplinary proceedings involving Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department Chief of Police Isaac Mapiyeye have been concluded, and he has been cleared of all charges brought against him.”
Mbengashe said Mapiyeye returned to work on Monday to resume his responsibilities as Chief of Police.
“The City respects the outcome of the disciplinary process and remains committed to ensuring stability, accountability and effective leadership within the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department,” she said.
Although Mapiyeye has returned to office, the MEC’s statement highlights broader governance concerns within the department.
According to Mamabolo, investigations conducted over the past five years have involved allegations of bribery, corruption, abuse of authority and collusion with criminal elements involving EMPD officials.
He said 16 officials have been suspended following investigations, while eight employees have been dismissed. A further 15 disciplinary matters are still under consideration.
“Municipal law enforcement officers occupy positions of public trust. It is therefore important that allegations of misconduct are dealt with swiftly, fairly and consistently. Timely disciplinary processes strengthen accountability, protect the integrity of the institution and provide certainty to both employees and the public,” Mamabolo said.
The MEC also welcomed the City’s plans to vet all EMPD officers, describing the initiative as an important intervention to strengthen integrity, improve public confidence and promote professionalism within the department.
The announcement comes amid increasing public attention on the conduct of some metro police officers. In recent months, videos circulating on social media have shown alleged incidents involving EMPD officers, while several officers have faced criminal and disciplinary investigations over allegations ranging from corruption to abuse of authority.
Mamabolo also raised concerns about the department’s operational resources, particularly the condition of its vehicle fleet.
According to figures released by the department, the EMPD has a fleet of 1,498 vehicles. Of these, 1,201 are operational while 297 are unavailable because of mechanical failures, maintenance requirements or accident damage.
The MEC said maintaining a reliable fleet is critical to ensuring police visibility, rapid response capabilities and public safety throughout the City of Ekurhuleni.
He further expressed concern over the loss of police firearms during the past financial year.
Seven EMPD-issued handguns and one shotgun were reported stolen.
Mamabolo called for comprehensive investigations into each incident to establish how the firearms were lost, determine accountability and introduce measures to prevent similar incidents in future.
The MEC also highlighted the financial pressures associated with maintaining municipal policing services, including expenditure on overtime, fuel and fleet maintenance.
He urged municipalities to continuously assess these costs to ensure public funds are spent efficiently while maintaining adequate policing capacity.
“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. Strong financial management and operational planning remain essential components of capable local government,” he said.
The Gauteng Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs said it will continue working with the City of Ekurhuleni through the Local Government Turnaround Strategy Institutional Capacity Workstream to strengthen governance, improve organisational capability and reinforce consequence management.
According to the department, the programme aims to support municipalities in building ethical, accountable and high-performing institutions capable of delivering quality services.
“Our objective is to support municipalities in building capable institutions that are accountable, well governed and responsive to the needs of residents. This forms part of our vision to transform municipalities across the Gauteng City Region into smart cities,” Mamabolo said.
The developments place the EMPD at a critical point, with the return of its police chief coinciding with renewed calls from the provincial government for stronger oversight, tighter discipline and improved operational performance across one of Gauteng’s largest municipal law enforcement agencies.
