Bheki Cele

**Bhekokwakhe "Bheki" Hamilton Cele** (born 22 April 1952) be former South African Minister of Police from February 2018 go 17 June 2024. He be National Commissioner of de South African Police Service for two years, but allegations of misconduct make dem suspend am for October 2011, den later remove am for June 2012. He sana serve as Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry plus Fisheries, insyd de KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council, den for de KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature. He be member of de National Executive Committee of de African National Congress, den dem jail am for Robben Island during apartheid time.

## Life den career
Cele be person wey dem born on 22 April 1952 for Umzumbe, Natal (wey now be KwaZulu-Natal). He get teacher ein diploma, den for 1980, he be one of de people wey start de progressive, non-racial National Education Union of South Africa. During exile for Angola insyd de mid-1980s, he join Umkhonto we Sizwe, den dem jail am for Robben Island from 1987 till dem release am plus anoda political prisoners for 1990.

### 1994-2009: KwaZulu-Natal government
Insyd de 1994 elections, Cele win go de KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature. While he dey serve for de legislature, he be Chairperson of de Portfolio Committee on Safety plus Security, den later he be chairperson of chairpersons. From 2004, he serve as Member of de Executive Council (MEC) for Transport, Community Safety plus Liaison for KwaZulu-Natal.

### 2009-present: National government
Insyd July 2009, dem appoint am as National Commissioner of de South African Police Service (SAPS). Dem sack am for June 2012 after some allegations come out say he involve for property deals wey no follow law. After dat, he serve as Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry plus Fisheries from May 2014 till late February 2018, wey President Cyril Ramaphosa appoint am as Minister of Police insyd ein first cabinet reshuffle. Reaction wey people get for Cele ein appointment mix. After de 2019 general election, dem reappoint am as police minister. But for de 2024 general election, Cele lose ein seat for de National Assembly.

### ANC membership
Cele still be member of de African National Congress (ANC), den right now he dey serve for de party ein chief executive organ, de National Executive Committee. Insyd mid-1990s, he be safety plus security spokesman for de party ein KwaZulu-Natal branch, den insyd de 2000s he serve as party chairman for de eThekwini region. Insyd de 2000s, people see Cele as person wey dey support Jacob Zuma. But when de ANC leadership elections come hard insyd 2017, he stand plus Cyril Ramaphosa against Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

## Controversies

### "Shoot-to-kill" remarks den use of deadly force
Insyd July 2007, *The Sowetan* talk say Cele, wey be MEC for safety insyd KwaZulu-Natal by dat time, talk for one meeting wey happen for Durban say police suppose “shoot to kill” when dem face criminals, plus he make other statements wey support use of deadly force. Even though Cele deny say he talk “shoot to kill,” he agree say he make some similar statements like, “We no fit allow make criminals dey kill police. Once criminals pull gun, police for aim dem head.” Insyd 2010, Cele take *The Sowetan* go court for defamation matter, wey he claim R200,000 as damages because of two reports wey dem publish for 2007, including one wey dem post together plus digitally edited photo of Cele wey he dey hold gun. De court throw de case away. One reporter from *The Sowetan* testify say he dey insyd de meeting for Durban wey he hear Cele talk de things, den de court point out say de only anoda newspaper wey send reporter come dat meeting, *The Citizen*, too report say Cele talk make police shoot to kill.

Insyd August 2009, just few time after Cele take office as National Commissioner of SAPS, one national controversy come up as dem talk say he repeat de “shoot to kill” statement to *Weekend Argus*. As he dey talk about one proposed change to Section 49 of de Criminal Procedure Act, wey dey explain when person fit use deadly force legally, reports talk say Cele mention say police suppose fit “shoot to kill” criminals without fear of “wetin go happen after dat.” But when he talk to *Los Angeles Times*, Cele deny say he talk make police shoot to kill — he explain say ein main point be say e no safe for police officers to dey doubt whether dem fit use deadly force if dem face armed criminal. Insyd anoda place, he clarify say police no for shoot innocent people, but dem for “defend demself well well” against armed den dangerous criminals. When dem ask am again for 2018 after he become Minister of Police, he still deny say he talk “shoot to kill,” but he talk say, “I’ve said dat... when police dey deal plus de hard brutal criminals, dem no for die plus gun for demma hand, den I still stand by dat.” Since dat time, he talk am many times say SAPS officers for use deadly force when e dey necessary.

### Conflict plus Inkatha Freedom Party
Insyd January 2009, during de time wey elections dey come, Cele dey present for one tense situation between ANC supporters den Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) supporters during one ANC rally for Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal. De IFP talk say Cele provoke police make dem “brutalize” IFP supporters. But Cele talk say dis accusation be defamation, so insyd February, he carry matter go court make dem stop de publication of de claims. De court dismiss de application.

### Roux Property Fund property deals
Insyd early 2011, when Cele be National Commissioner of SAPS, de Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, find say government lease office buildings for Pretoria plus Durban – wey dem plan make e serve as police headquarters – but de price dem pay be too high. De leases cost more than R1.5 billion den dem sign am plus Roux Property Fund. Madonsela talk say de deals be “unlawful” den “illegitimate,” den she hold Cele plus Minister of Public Works, Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde, responsible. She talk say Cele ein conduct be “improper, unlawful and amount to maladministration.” Even though he no sign de Pretoria lease einself, he sign one memo wey authorise funding for de lease. Cele deny say he do anything wrong.

Insyd October 2011, de then President Jacob Zuma suspend Cele wey he still dey get ein pay, as dem wait for outcome of one inquiry wey former judge Jake Moloi chair, wey go look into whether Cele misconduct einself. One of de questions wey de board of inquiry chase be de level of Cele ein relationship plus Roux Shabangu of de Roux Property Fund — say if Cele ein action no just be unlawful but e bi corrupt too, like some people talk. De inquiry board find say Cele no dey honest den he no fit hold dat office, so dem recommend make dem sack am. On 12 June 2012, Zuma announce say he fire Cele based on de findings. But nearly seven years later, for April 2019, de Pretoria High Court cancel de inquiry ein report after long legal battle wey Cele fight to clear ein name.

### Whistleblower protection
Insyd 2018, de Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, claim say Cele plus SAPS no provide personal protection for two whistleblowers wey report corruption matter insyd Umzimkulu municipality for KwaZulu-Natal. But Cele carry de report go court for judicial review, den for 2020, de Gauteng North High Court declare de report invalid, clear Cele from any wrongdoing. De court talk say, based on wetin de law talk, no be police ein responsibility to make sure say witnesses plus whistleblowers get personal protection.

### COVID-19 pandemic
During de COVID-19 pandemic for 2020, some people criticize how Cele lead de police, say he dey do “excessive policing” to enforce de lockdown rules.

### Gun control
Cele dey support strict gun control, den he talk say he no believe say private citizens for get right to own firearms. One gun control law wey dem bring insyd ein ministry insyd 2021, wey be Firearms Control Amendment Bill, face opposition from some civil society groups. De proposed law talk say self-defence no go count as valid reason to apply for firearm license. Cele defend de Bill say most of de murders for South Africa dey happen through firearms.

### Incident plus Ian Cameron
For one event wey happen insyd Gugulethu, Police Minister Bheki Cele get confrontation plus Ian Cameron, wey be director of community safety for Action Society, one non-profit organisation wey dey focus on violent crime. Dis incident happen during one community policing engagement, where Cameron make some comments say de community dey forced to do police ein work, wey provoke Cele. Cele reply am with talk about ein experience during apartheid time, den he shout “shut up” give Cameron before officials carry Cameron commot from de place. Later, Cameron talk say ein issue no be Cele as person but de position wey he dey hold and how he dey handle crime matters. Dis incident show say tension dey plus different views dey on how community safety for work, how effective police dey, den who get de responsibility to deal plus crime.

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