Public Protector South Africa on the retraction by the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service of a public statement that referred to a murder suspect, Mr Shrien Dewani, as 'a monkey'
18 Apr 2011
In December 2010, Adv. Paul Hofmann SC, the Director of the Institute for Accountability in Southern Africa, lodged a complaint with the Public Protector in connection with a public statement made by the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, Gen. B Cele, which was widely perceived as having referred to Mr Shrien Dewani, a British murder suspect, as "a monkey".
Adv. Hoffman held the view that the statement was improper, unlawful and could have a negative impact on the extradition proceedings in respect of Mr Dewani that are currently in process in the United Kingdom.
The Public Protector raised the complaint with the National Commissioner, and discussed her views on and Gen. Cele's response to the complaint with him. The matter was resolved when Gen Cele provided the Public Protector with the following statement, signed on 5 April 2011:
"I refer to a fairly recent comment attributed to myself in the course of a media enquiry relating to a British murder suspect, one Mr Shrien Dewani. A statement by myself contained a reference to the word "monkey". The comment attracted media attention and debate about, for instance, its derogatory nature and possible impact on a pending trial. It was not my wish to generate or even participate in any such debate.