Madlanga Commission | Malatji claims victimisation over Gubis85 saga

Suspended Tshwane Metroplolitan Police Department (TMPD) Asset Protection and Security Services (APSS) director, Tshukudu Malatji, says he is being unfairly targeted by colleagues over the controversial Gubis85 security contracts.

Malatji has been implicated in the alleged irregular allocation of ad hoc security sites to Gubis 85 Security Solutions Pty Ltd, particularly for failing to cancel the deployments after concerns were raised.

The commission previously heard that TMPD Chief of Police, Revo Spies, instructed Malatji via email to terminate the Gubis85 allocations. However, Malatji told the inquiry it was unreasonable to expect him to act alone when other senior officials had the authority to intervene.

He maintains he was initially unaware of the company’s deployment.

The inquiry heard that had the directive to cancel the deployments had been acted upon, the City of Tshwane could have saved approximately R90 million.

Malatji accused colleagues of orchestrating a smear campaign against him, suggesting they are attempting to link him to alleged kickbacks tied to the contracts.

He argued that discussions about Gubis85 took place at executive level in his absence and that responsibility should not rest solely with him.

Evidence before the commission indicates that Gubis85 received a disproportionate number of ad hoc security site allocations, with at least 42 site confirmation letters issued.

Malatji testified that he only became aware of the company’s involvement in 2024, following a complaint lodged by Gubis85 over unpaid invoices.

He said he then attempted to assist the company while liaising with the Department of Water and Sanitation, which was allegedly involved in facilitating payments.

He denied instructing suspended TMPD Major, Lebogang Phiri, to allocate sites to Gubis85, saying any such actions were not authorised by him.

Malatji says he later became aware of emails exchanged between senior TMPD officials regarding outstanding payments to Gubis85.

This contradicts Phiri’s earlier testimony, in which he claimed Malatji directed him to oversee site allocations following internal communications involving senior officials.

Malatji further stated that any deployment letters issued outside standard operating procedures would not have been authorised by his office.

The commission heard that Phiri, allocated around 40 site confirmation letters to Gubis 85, while two were allegedly approved by Dr. Kwapeng Madihlaba.

The commission’s lead, Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, criticised Malatji for failing to act once he became aware of the situation, accusing him of “folding his arms” instead of intervening.

Written by: Odirile Rabalao