Bheki Cele must go
6 September 2022
Note to Editors: Please find attached English soundbite by John Steenhuisen MP and isiXhosa soundbite by Siviwe Gwarube MP
There is no organisation, structure or business outside of the ANC government that would not have fired Police Minister Bheki Cele years ago had he been employed by them. It is only in this ANC government that a man who has presided over one of the worst violent crime waves outside of a war zone, would still be rewarded with the perks, pay and power of a cabinet position. He is a danger to society and he must be fired. Bheki Cele must go.
Our march today carries the backing of the more than 33 000 people who have signed our petition to get rid of Bheki Cele, as well as the many thousands more who have signed various other petitions or voiced their disgust on other forums. What unites all these people – and what sets them apart from the members of the ANC government – is that they have to face the murderers, rapists and robbers on their own. They don’t have the luxury of VIP Protection Units or State-sponsored home security upgrades. To add insult to injury, not only is Cele unable to protect people but he also doesn't want to let DA governments step in to protect them instead.
Minister Cele’s failings are far more than just another embarrassing blot on the ANC government’s report card. His failings have cost the lives, the dignity and the security of countless South Africans. When viewed together, the litany of failures on his watch as Police Minister makes for shocking reading, and it is a shameful indictment on President Ramaphosa that he has not held Cele accountable a long time ago.