BREAKING NEWS: MKHWANAZI LINKS BHEKI CELE TO CAT MATLALA
Former police minister Bheki Cele’s name comes up as Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi highlights deficiencies in the criminal justice system and elaborates the abuse of slush fund accounts.
General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has revealed that Bheki Cele once sent Vusi “Cat” Matlala a bank account (not his own) for a deposit, and later Matlala sent proof of the payment.
Gen. Mkhwanazi has begun his second round of testimony, the first being for the Madlanga Commission, the second in front of a parliamentary ad hoc committee. After the EFFs Julius Malema insisted that he repeat his submissions from the Madlanga Commission, Mkhwanazi made 7 revelatory statements in just one sitting. These referenced the likes of former Police Minister Bheki Cele, suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and DA MP Dianne Kohler Barnard. Let’s unpack what was said and how this fits in to the broader context of this investigation.
Explosive testimony before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee on Policing has lifted the lid on deep-rooted corruption within the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) Crime Intelligence division on Tuesday, with allegations reaching as far back as former police minister, the late Nathi Mthethwa.
Mr Bheki Cele served as Minister of Police, having previously served as the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. He was born on 22 April 1952. He is a member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress and formerly served as MEC for Transport and Community Safety Liaison in KwaZulu-Natal. He served as the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service until October 2011.
Mr Cele was a Founding Member of the National Education Union of South Africa.
Parliament, Monday, 2 October 2023 – The Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interests has found that Hon Bheki Cele MP, the Minister of Police, breached item 10.1.1.3 read with 4.1.5 of the Code of Ethical Conduct and Disclosure of Members’ Interests for National Assembly and Permanent National Council of Provinces Members and will recommend to the National Assembly that the Member enter an apology in the House for his conduct toward Mr Cameron during a SAPS imbizo.
The complaint relates to a SAPS Imbizo held on 5 July 2022, where the Member is alleged to have become irate and shouted at the complainant to “shut up”. The complainant alleged that the Member did not behave in the calm and dignified manner required by the high office he holds.
Further, the complainant alleged that the Member wagged his finger at him, while saying in a threatening tone, “Don’t provoke me.” The Member yelled at him to “shut up”, then told him to ”sit down and listen” or “get out”. The complainant stated that he was removed from the venue by police officials who are not known to him. His clothing was damaged in the process. He states that his fundamental rights were infringed, such as his right to freedom and security of person, and unlawful deprivation of liberty. The complainant stated that he did nothing to warrant being assaulted and forcibly removed and restrained.
Following deliberations, the committee noted that the Member in his written representation did not specifically address the incident, i.e., that he is alleged to have shouted, “shut up” at the complainant. However, the video footage taken on the day, which was played in the committee, shows that the Member was irate and that he did shout at the complainant.
The committee found that even if the Member was unhappy with the manner in which the complainant addressed the issue at the imbizo, the Member, as a Member of Parliament, was required to act in a manner that would maintain public confidence and trust in the integrity of Parliament and thereby engender the respect and confidence that society needs to have in Parliament as a representative institution.
As a result, the committee found that the that the Member breached item 10.1.1.3 read with 4.1.5 of the Code.
Mkhwanazi was testifying before Parliament’s ad hoc committee on Tuesday.
Responding to a question from Chief Evidence Leader, Advocate Norman Arendse SC, about whether Cele supported the work of the PKTT during his tenure, Mkhwanazi said: “The Minister of Police, together with other Ministers that were assigned by the President, they were quite satisfied with the work that he was doing. I wouldn’t say he was a supporter.
