Court grants Mkhwanazi and Lerutla bail amid public outcry

Protests erupted outside the Boksburg Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday as members of the Municipal Employees and Civil Servants Union (MECSU) and residents demonstrated following the bail ruling of Ekurhuleni City Manager, Kagiso Lerutla, and suspended Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) Deputy Chief, Julius Mkhwanazi.

Magistrate Emmanuel Magampa granted the two officials R30,000 bail each following lengthy arguments from both the State and the defence.

Demonstrators, some carrying placards reading COE infiltrated by politicians”, rejected the court’s decision, demanding accountability, jobs, and decisive action against a slew of corruption allegations within the metro.

Mkhwanazi and Lerutla face charges of fraud, corruption, and defeating the ends of justice, linked to an alleged R400,000 identity-swap scheme dating back to Lerutla’s 2019 arrest for speeding.

 The State argued the accused could interfere with witnesses and the investigation, while the defence maintained they are not flight risks and do not pose a danger to society.

In his ruling, Magistrate Magampa, said the State had failed to show a likelihood of interference, noting that only one key witness, Mkhwanazi’s driver, Thabang Tsotetsi, had been identified and there was no evidence of contact between the parties.

Despite additional concerns raised by the State relating to separate allegations linked to a 2021 murder cover-up case, the court found the accused met the threshold for bail. However strict conditions were imposed, including that they not contact witnesses and surrender their passports.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says it respects the ruling and will study the judgment, while the City of Ekurhuleni says it will address the matter through its council processes. The issue is expected to be tabled at an ordinary council meeting on Thursday.

#NPAUpdates| NPA Notes Granting of Bail to Mkhwanazi and Lerutla pic.twitter.com/G05eqZKx9g

— NPASouthAfrica (@NPA_Prosecutes) April 28, 2026

The case has been postponed to 13 May, as scrutiny intensifies over governance and accountability in the metro.

#YNews: Suspended EMPD deputy chief, Julius Mkhwanazi and Ekurhuleni City Manager Kagiso Lerutla have been granted R30 000 bail each.

The pair face charges of fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice, linked to an alleged R400 000 identity swap scheme following… pic.twitter.com/duPQBopJD5

— Y (@Yfm) April 28, 2026

Bail has been set for R30k for
Julius Mkhwanazi and Kagiso Lerutla
Both of them must surrender passports to the State.
They must not contact the witnesses directly or indirectly.
They must return to court on 13 May 2026.

I foresee people disappearing 😭🚮 pic.twitter.com/047SGj7gVT

— 🤘🏽Julianne🤘🏽 (@IrisJulianne) April 28, 2026