Opposition parties call for Cele’s head following Sitole’s sacking
The decision to terminate Police Commissioner Khehla Sitole’s contract has been met with mixed reactions.
On Friday, the Presidency announced the news of a “mutual agreement” between President Cyril Ramaphosa and Sitole.
Sitole will leave office at the end of March after his appointment in November 2017.
In recent months, the police commissioner has faced mounting pressure to vacate his office owing to alleged misconduct.
Sitole’s public spat with Police Minister Bheki Cele only worsened the situation.
The South African Policing Union (SAPU) says it takes issue with how the decision was reached.
“We are worried. Why the mutual agreement? If the Commissioner has failed, the Commissioner should be held accountable - disciplinary steps and dismissed if he’s found guilty,” says SAPU’s general secretary, Tumelo Mogodiseng.
“We have been waiting for General Sitole’s departure but how now the agreement was reached, that’s a concern to us. What is it that you are hiding? What is it that the President is hiding so that he can reach an agreement with the Police Commissioner?
“Justice has not been done,” he adds.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are also not impressed.
EFF spokesperson, Sinawo Thambo accuses Ramaphosa of playing to a political gallery.
“It is our understanding that Ramaphosa has fired the wrong individual because he’s going to a national elective conference, and he wants to keep his henchman Bheki Cele going into the conference,” he says.
Thambo believes Cele’s head should be on the chopping board.
“There is no stability that is going to come to the South African Police Services so long as Bheki Cele is the Minister of Police because he is at the centre of the problem.
“As long as Bheki Cele is the Minister of Police, we must expect that crime is going to continue to skyrocket in South Africa and nothing is going to change,” Thambo adds.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) holds the same view.
“We are now calling on the President to remove Bheki Cele to ensure full credibility and trust in the police service which has become corrupted by factional political battles at the very top,” says the opposition party’s Andrew Whitfield.
“The time has come to overhaul the police service and it simply cannot be done while Cele remains in his position where he will continue to interfere with the next national Police Commissioner in the operating of their duty.”
The Presidency is expected to make an announcement on Sitole’s replacement in due course.
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