The Democratic Alliance is to urge the Public Service Commission (PSC) to investigate the appointment of Ekurhuleni metro police chief Hlula Msimang.

"The DA will today (Tuesday) write to the chairperson of the PSC to request that the commission investigates whether proper procedures were followed in the appointment of Hlula Msimang," DA spokesperson Dianne Kohler-Barnard said in a statement.

"Mr Msimang was initially appointed to head the department, but later resigned ? allegedly because correct procedures had not been followed. However, now he has been re-appointed.

"If this is the case, it appears that ANC cronyism is alive and well in the Ekurhuleni municipality," Kohler-Barnard said.

Given that Msimang's initial appointment appeared to have been flawed, it seemed doubtful whether any procedures followed during his re-appointment were anything more than window dressing," she said.

Officials at the department claimed the post was not advertised, and neither the public nor staff were made aware of the vacancy to which Msimang was appointed.

"The Public Service Commission needs to establish whether this was indeed the case and, if so, it needs to make appropriate recommendations," she said.