‘Cele needs to overhaul police’
POLICE Minister Bheki Cele urgently needed to overhaul the police’s top leadership in order to undo the damage done while former president Jacob Zuma was at the helm, the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) said.
Cele yesterday visited Philippi and Gugulethu and conducted community engagements.
While Cele shared some plans police have to address crime in the country, particularly the Western Cape, Gareth Newham of ISS said “only a complete overhaul of police leadership can undo the damage of the Zuma years”.
“Now that South Africa has undergone a profound political shift with the appointment of President Cyril Ramaphosa, the hard work of rebuilding various state institutions must begin. This is certainly true for law enforcement and intelligence agencies that were severely weakened by maladministration and corruption under Jacob Zuma’s presidency.”
He said Cele’s main challenge was that senior police and Hawks appointments during the Zuma presidency were rarely based upon the appointees’ integrity, skills or experience.
Yesterday Cele engaged with communities in Philippi and Gugulethu and shared some plans to tackle crime both in the province and nationally.
“We are working on a reprioritisation plan. There are places that are under huge stress in terms of policing. I have had a long meeting with the national commissioner and also met with the provincial commissioners on what to do at national level.”
Cele said the Western Cape was an area of focus for police as it was still the “murder and gang capital”.
He took time to speak to drivers at roadblocks, took part in the raid of an illegal shebeen and later held a meeting with residents.
The visit was Cele’s first official engagement with communities since he was reinstated as National Police Minister by Ramaphosa.