Newly-appointed South African national police commissioner Bheki Cele during a news conference in Pretoria, July 29, 2009
Bheki Cele
Controversial KwaZulu-Natal safey and security MEC Bheki Cele got too excited about the dropping of charges against ANC President Jacob Zuma.
Cele lambasted Desmond Tutu, saying the archbishop was not a “vice” Jesus Christ.
PEOPLE who have crossed Bheki Cele say he is a stubborn bully and has a passion for his party that borders on zealotry.
He’s been described as a township dandy and has a penchant for flashy clothes and Panama hats.
A teacher, guerrilla soldier in Angola and a Robben Island inmate, Cele first encountered Zuma in exile in Swaziland and is intensely loyal to him.
Cele was among a group of ANC members in KZN accused of plotting to make the province a no-go zone for Thabo Mbeki, a claim the group strenuously denied.
Recently Cele has been on the receiving end of scathing public criticism over his controversial statements defending the “abuse” of blue lights by ministerial convoys.
Newly appointed police commissioner Bheki Cele said he will be tough on criminals.
"You can't be soft and you can't be moving around kissing crime. You need to be tough because you're dealing with tough guys," he told reporters in Pretoria after President Jacob Zuma named him the national police commissioner on Wednesday.
Cele said he wanted to see South Africa become a country where young women and children could walk without fear of attack.
Known for his snazzy suits and stylish hats, Cele has a reputation as a ruthless crime-buster. He has caused controversy on several occasions by calling on police to adopt a “shoot-to-kill” policy against armed criminals.
He said he stood by his call for police to "shoot to kill". "The 1977 Criminal Act stipulates that police are allowed to use a deadly force when attacked," he said.
Zuma said Cele was appointed because, amongst others, he had managed to fight crime in KwaZulu-Natal, especially taxi violence and cash heists.
Cele will take up the position on 2 August.
Opposition critical of Cele appointment
Opposition parties said President Jacob Zuma had made a mistake in appointing a political ally with no professional crime-fighting experience as the new national police commissioner.
Bheki Cele's appointment "is nothing more than a political promotion for one of President Jacob Zuma's closest allies," Inkatha Freedom Party spokesman Velaphi Ndlovu said.
The Democratic Alliance said Zuma was repeating the mistake former president Thabo Mbeki made when he appointed Jackie Selebi "a close associate of his from the ANC's political ranks" as police commissioner.
"A decade later, President Zuma has done precisely the same thing," the DA's Dianne Kohler-Barnard said.
Cele, the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for transport and community and safety liaison, will replace Selebi nearly two years after the latter was first charged with corruption and defeating the ends of justice.
The DA and IFP said he lacked the skills and experience to become South Africa's top cop, while civil rights group AfriForum said it has pleaded in vain for Selebi not be "replaced by a redeployed ANC politician".
Unfortunately, this had now happened.
The IFP said Cele's appointment was "a serious blow for our fight against crime in South Africa because commissioner Cele does not possess the necessary experience and expertise that this high office requires".
"We were hopeful that government would do the right thing by appointing a career policeman or woman with a proven track record within the SAPS as South Africa's new police chief.
"But clearly our government is more interested in deploying loyal ANC cadres to top positions to serve the interests of the ruling party rather than serving the interests of all South Africans," said Ndlovu.
Cele's appointment boded ill for the new priority crime investigation unit, the Hawks, because it could not be politically independent.
"One thing is for certain now: the Hawks will never be able to emulate the Scorpions' success.
"By appointing a political head to take charge of the SAPS, the IFP believes that this new elite crime-fighting unit will be subjected to political manipulation on a regular basis and will operate in a vindictive manner against those perceived to be enemies of the ruling party," Ndlovu said.
Kohler-Barnard said while Cele's track record included no professional police experience, he had a history of unfortunate statements.
These included calling a man a racist for complaining after Cele's blue light escorts rushed him to a meeting at 160 kilometres an hour, and urging police to "shoot to kill", a remark which Cele defended today.
"The 1977 Criminal Act stipulates that police are allowed to use a deadly force when attacked," he told reporters.
See also New police chief due in court
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