The Centre for Constitutional Rights welcomes the President’s decision to release General Bheki Cele from his duties as National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS). The President’s decision was apparently based on reports from the Public Protector and the Board of Inquiry indicating, “deficiencies administratively, and in particular in relation to General Cele’s duties as an accounting officer” and a finding by the Board of Inquiry that General Cele was “unfit for office”.
A National Commissioner must be able to effect his or her duty with integrity and credibility. Whenever either one of these qualities are questioned, it will ultimately reflect on the perception of the SAPS as a whole.
The President’s announcement unfortunately included some disquieting notions: the worrying fact that yet another successive National Commissioner had to be released from duties due to alleged misconduct; and rather than clarify the unanswered questions about withdrawal of disciplinary and criminal charges against Lieutenant General Richard Mduli brought to light by concerned police officials, the President felt the need to reflect on “a disappointing spectacle of police officers jeopardising state security by placing information in the public domain, in contravention of their oath of office”.
One also has to wonder why the President missed another opportunity to appoint a National Commissioner who is a professional career police officer, with proper policing qualifications and crime fighting experience.
Adv Johan Kruger
Centre for Constitutional Rights
