‘Beware of Bheki Cele’: EFF advises new Police Commissioner

By Larry John Brown

Published: April 1, 2022 | 9:50 AM GMT

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has advised the newly appointed National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola to resist the “disruptive influence” of Minister of Police Bheki Cele.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced Masemola as the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS) on Thursday, 31 March at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

The party said Masemola is confronted with a great task. One which will require him to ignore Minister of Police, Bheki Cele.

The party also said Cele will seek to impose his will on the Commissioner and undermine the administrative authority.

“As such, the EFF calls on the newly appointed Commissioner to fiercely resist the disruptive influence of Bheki Cele and focus on the task at hand. The task is to drastically reduce crime and ensure that perpetrators fear the arm of the law in South Africa.

“It must be under his term that the gang-wars in Cape Flats in the Western Cape, must be put to an end, and innocent lives are protected from being recruited into gangsterism and drug abuse.

EFF

General Masemola, congratulations Tau. We don’t doubt your capacity, but please be aware of Bheki Cele; he will do everything in his power to make sure you fail. Please don’t take his illegal instructions; your mandate is to fight crime, nothing else. pic.twitter.com/fs6S4jYCxl

— Julius Sello Malema (@Julius_S_Malema) March 31, 2022

The Red Berets also called for factionalism and criminality within SAPS to be rooted out. “This includes the participation of police in cash-in-transit heists, as well as the smuggling of arms from within the police force to criminals themselves.”

CELE VS STHOLE

EFF leader, Julius Malema previously accused Cele of competing with former National Commissioner, General Khehla Sitole.

Cele and Sitole had been at loggerheads for quite some time.

In February, Cele accused the former Police Commissioner and EFF leader Julius Malema of plotting his removal from Cabinet during a session in Parliament, but he was forced to withdraw his claim.

Sitole admitted to having met with Malema – but said this was to discuss threats that were allegedly being levelled at the MP.

The standoff between Cele and Sitole did not sit well with President Cyril Ramaphosa.

There were concerns that their spat could have a negative impact on the police service.

About Larry John Brown

Larry John is a talented writer and journalist based in New York, USA. He is a valued contributor to TDPel Media, where he creates engaging and informative content for readers. Larry has a keen interest in current events, business, and technology, and he enjoys exploring these topics in-depth to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of the issues. His writing style is characterized by its clarity, precision, and attention to detail, which make his articles a pleasure to read. Larry’s passion for storytelling has earned him a reputation as a skilled writer and a respected authority in his field.