Mashazi admits Mapiyeye discipline failure despite misconduct claims

During her second day of testimony at the commission on Tuesday, Mashazi conceded that she “failed to discipline the chief of police and I failed to do oversight on him as an HOD.” 

The admission came after being repeatedly questioned about her inaction, including her decision to recommend Mapiyeye for a five-year contract extension in 2022, even though allegations of drunk driving, abuse of power, and sexual harassment had already been raised.

The questioning revisited a 2020 protest in which EMPD officers publicly accused Mapiyeye of being involved in “two drunk-driving car crashes” involving council vehicles, and of being shielded from accountability by senior officials. 

Officers also raised concerns about irregular VIP Protection allowances, claiming the city had bypassed proper bargaining processes.

 Mashazi confirmed that she was aware of the protest and that Mapiyeye reported directly to her at the time.

When asked why she did not lodge a written complaint, a requirement for initiating disciplinary action, Mashazi told the commission that the political head, or MMC, “never submitted the memorandum or the issues that were raised by these police officers” to her office, leaving her hands tied. 

She also cited that Mapiyeye was “politically protected throughout,” which, she said, limited her ability to take action.

She added that she had only obtained the video evidence on Monday evening because she had been “struggling to get information from the city,” and stressed that she lacked formal evidence despite being aware of the allegations since 2020.

The commissioners pressed Mashazi on her role in the 2022 interview panel that reappointed Mapiyeye for another five-year term.

 She admitted that she “did not record her objections,” “did not dissent from the panel’s recommendation,” and “did not flag the allegations to council,” meaning the appointing authority was unaware of her concerns. 

She conceded that “council never came to know that she was unhappy… because she didn’t write it down.”

The commission also explored why Mashazi raised sexual harassment concerns during the questioning but did not raise allegations of rape or improper relationships with junior staff. 

She said the rape allegations were “new” and only surfaced during a recent sexual harassment case. 

She added that as “one woman sitting with four men,” she felt reluctant to raise specific issues. Mashazi further stated that she was “aware of the allegations but did not have evidence” at the time.

Mashazi also acknowledged systemic governance failures, including the city’s policy of not recording interviews for senior managers.

 She admitted this was “not good governance.” While she initially suggested it was HR’s responsibility, she ultimately accepted that she could have corrected the process but failed to do so.

Regarding the 2020 protest video, Mashazi said she presented it to the commission to “support her evidence that he has indeed defeated the ends of justice,” referring to Mapiyeye’s alleged involvement in two drunk-driving accidents. 

Commissioners countered that the video instead highlighted her own “failures of oversight,” prompting her to finally admit responsibility.

Mashazi eventually accepted that she “knew of the allegations in real time,” “had the authority to act,” but still “failed to discipline him,” “failed to report concerns to council,” “failed to properly document objections during the 2022 interview process,” and “participated in a panel that reappointed him despite those concerns".