Action Society’s Petition to Fire Police Minister Bheki Cele Gains Over 70k Signatures

• A petition calling to have Minister of Police Bheki Cele removed from his position has gained over 70 000 signatures
• This follows the minister's outburst directed towards Action Society’s Ian Cameron during a community meeting
• The organisation also intended to submit a complaint with Parliament’s Office of the Registrar of Members’ Interests

CAPE TOWN - Action Society’s petition to have Police Minister Bheki Cele removed from his position has gained over 70 000 signatures. The minister came under fire after verbally attacking a director of the organisation earlier this month at a community safety meeting.

The civil rights organisation believes that there are numerous reasons why Cele should be fired from his ministerial position. According to Action Society, the minister has a complete lack of executive accountability and has continuously mismanaged the police which needs to stop.

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“The poor service delivery and the current state of disorder within the SAPS, is a crime against all the citizens of this country. Cele must go,” said Action Society.

The organisation’s director for community safety Ian Cameron was physically removed from the community meeting after questioning the minister about the police’s failures. Cameron laid charges of crimen injuria and common assault against the minister of police and police members.

IPID Spokesperson Lizzy Suping told News24 that Cameron opened an assault case against the police, and IPID is investigating the matter. The organisation also intended to submit a complaint with Parliament’s Office of the Registrar of Members’ Interests.

South Africans react to Action Society’s petition:

@Mdamba3 said:

“SAPS performance under his leadership bad. He has no plan.”

@RianBrandt commented:

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“You can’t lose something you never had. A clear sense of honest leadership and/or direction always eluded said the minister.”

@darylbalfour posted:

“He’s basically just a puppet of criminal organisations.”

@grootdawid added:

“The SAPS members who removed you obeyed an unlawful order and are not to be trusted in their official duties.”

Police Minister Bheki Cele tells community leader to “shut up” during crime meeting, Ian Cameron speaks out

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported Police Minister Bheki Cele lost his cool at a community meeting when the director of a civil society organisation questioned him about the crime in Gugulethu on Tuesday, 5 July.

Action Society’s Ian Cameron was told to “shut up”, “listen” and “get out” several times after pointing out the police’s failures in curbing the high crime levels in the community.

Source: Briefly News