The former Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, has launched a scathing attack against the former acting National Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. In his attack, Bheki Cele describes Mkhwanazi as a product of the apartheid policing system, which was designed to oppress black South Africans.
Cele made reference to recent statements made by Julius Malema, the head of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), who had referred to Mkhwanazi as a “career policeman.” These statements were made during the hearings that took place before the parliamentary ad hoc committee that is investigating allegations of misconduct within the South African Police Service (SAPS). Cele was in agreement, but she presented a provocative twist.
I overheard Malema stating that Mkhwanazi is a police officer by profession. According to Cele, “Yes, he is in fact an apartheid career police officer who was established to make sure that black men do not survive.”
The comment caused some members of the committee to let out gasps and rekindled the discussion on the continued impact of apartheid-era police methods inside the South African Police Service (SAPS). Cele, who served as police minister for more than six years, has regularly accused certain top officers of being relics of a repressive system designed to target and criminalise black people. This accusation has been made on multiple occasions.
Cele argued that Mkhwanazi’s leadership style and decisions reflect a mindset that is rooted in the police force that existed during the apartheid era. This suggests that certain attitudes that are currently held by the police force are incompatible with the democratic values that are held in South Africa. Cele continued by saying, “We must never forget where some of these people were trained and what specific tasks they were trained to perform.”
The remarks made by Cele have not yet been met with a public response by Mkhwanazi, who has served in a number of prominent posts within the police service department. His admirers, on the other hand, have previously defended his record by pointing to his experience and his dedication to reforming the South African Police Service.
The comments made by Cele have been characterised by political commentators as being both daring and contentious. Despite the fact that Cele may be drawing attention to a significant historical fact, Dr. Oscar van der Merwe, a security analyst, pointed out that the comment has the potential to further exacerbate existing tensions within the police force. “There are still conflicts that have not been resolved between the older generation of cops and the younger generation of officers. Observations such as this have the potential to significantly damage internal ties,” he stated.
He accused top officers of maintaining factionalism and hindering transformation in the police service, and Cele’s criticism of Mkhwanazi appears to be part of a larger trend in his recent testimony. In this testimony, Cele accused senior officers of doing both of these things.
Cele’s evidence has once again placed him at the centre of controversy, as he is unafraid to criticise personalities that he believes reflect the remains of apartheid’s shadow in modern policing. The ad hoc committee has not yet decided whether or not Cele’s statements will be included in the formal investigation that it is conducting.