South Africans are calling for the Minister of Police Bheki Cele to step down. File Picture: Bongani Shilubane/ African News Agency (ANA)
South Africans on X (formerly Twitter), activists and petitions are calling for the Minister of Police Bheki Cele to step down or be fired as rampant crime and gang violence in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape continues.
A petition calling for Cele’s head was started by whistle-blower Patricia Mashale titled: BHEKI CELE MUST BE FIRED, HE IS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO SOUTH AFRICA!!!
The petition highlighted the crime in South Africa, adding that the minister “enjoys 24/7 VIP protection.”
The petition goes on to accuse Cele of “weakening SAPS and Crime intelligence” and accused him several times of being “involved in criminal activities”.
South Africans took to X to share the petition and agreed with the sentiment that Cele should be fired following the spike of crime.
Cele has also recently come under fire after he was found guilty of breaching the code of ethical conduct for MPs after he and anti-crime activist Ian Cameron locked horns at a crime imbizo.
The altercation got to such a point that Parliament's Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests said on Monday that it wanted Cele to apologise to Cameron in front of members of the National Assembly. However, Cele said he will not apologise.
Cameron said Cele should resign from office, adding that Action Society will continue to demand that he be removed from his position as minister of police.
IOL has reached out to office of the Minister of Police for comment.
This is a developing story.
IOL