SIYABONGA SITHOLE
Johannesburg - The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng says it will be marching to the office of Police Minister Bheki Cele on Tuesday, demanding his removal from office.
This outcry from the DA comes after the country has been plagued by violent crimes as well as issues of under-staffing of the South African Police Services (SAPS), which has seen a decline in the number of active members of the police force over the past five years.
The party said it rejects President Cyril Ramaphosa’s continued backing of the minister in the face of an "out-of-control crime crisis, desperately under-resourced SAPS and Cele’s personal outbursts that characterise him as grossly incompatible with the high office he holds."
"We have decided to engage in a mass march to the office of Bheki Cele tomorrow, demanding that he must go. Enough is enough," said DA provincial director Robert Dalton.
According to Dalton, the march will be led by DA leader John Steenhuisen and the DA's Minister of Police spokesperson, Andrew Whitfield, as well as members of civil society, including the Director of Community Safety at Action Society, Ian Cameron, as well as DA Leader in Gauteng, Solly Msimang a, Western Cape Premier, Alan Winde, Geordin Hill-Lewis, DA Chief Whip, Siviwe Gwarube and Tshwane Mayor, Randall Williams among many others.
Dalton said the party calls on South Africans to join the march to see the back of the police minister, which will swell the streets of Pretoria.
"Our march to tell Bheki Cele loud and clear: Your time is up! South Africa deserves better! We demand a safe South Africa Now," Dalton said.
The march against Cele is scheduled to begin at 10.15am at the corner of Prince's Park Avenue and Frances Baard Street and is set to conclude at Minister Bheki Cele’s Office, on 512 Johannes Ramokhoase (Telkom Building), Pretoria, in the afternoon.
The march against Cele comes after the party tabled a motion of no confidence against Cele in March as well as the launch of a petition to remove him under #CeleMustGo.
Among the reasons given for Cele's removal include "failure to fully implement the SAPS's 2019 rural safety strategy" and his refusal to sign off on the secret service budget in December 2020.
"Cele"s attitude towards his mandate to protect and serve South Africa were once displayed when he was confronted with his many failures. Instead of answering the various concerns of Gugulethu residents, he chose to shutdown ordered police officials to escort a concerned citizen out of the premises, " the party’s Minister of Police spokesperson Andrew Whitfield said in a statement.
Whitfield said despite overwhelming evidence against Cele, President Cyril Ramaphosa has not reprimanded Cele for many of his wayward ways.
The Star