Like moths to a flame, SJC falls into Cele's trap
30 January 2019
I read with interest the SJC’s recent statement celebrating Minister Cele’s decision not to appeal the damning Equality Court judgement against the SAPS. Like moths to a flame, the SJC has fallen right into Cele’s trap.
While Minister Cele went on radio and publicly proclaimed that the police had withdrawn their appeal to the court judgment which found that SAPS discriminated against poor, Black communities in their allocation of police, I have confirmation that nearly a week later, their attorneys have yet to receive this instruction to withdraw the appeal.
This lays bare the real intent of Minister Cele, which is to dampen public reaction to the fact he appealed the judgment in the first place. The Minister is stuck between a rock and a hard place – he wants to appeal, but he knows it’s bad politics.
For one, I’m not buying what Minister Cele is selling. The SJC welcomed the Minister’s “candid admission” that poor, Black police precincts countrywide are not getting the resources they deserve and need. The dictionary definition of ‘candid’ includes the words honest, and sincere. But until the Minister’s words meet his actions, and unfair resource allocations are actually addressed, this is not terminology that can be associated with Minister Bheki Cele.