Cele, top cop tangled in arson case

CONTROVERSIAL Cato Manor police boss Johan Booysen and former police commissioner Bheki Cele have become embroiled in an internal ANC battle in KwaZulu-Natal after accusations that they ordered the release of two suspected arsonists.

The claims relate to the burning down of the ANC’s regional offices in Newcastle in the early hours of February 18.

The chairman of the party’s Emalahleni region — under which Newcastle falls — Ntuthuko Mahlaba, confronted Cele and accused him of conspiring with Booysen to sabotage the arson case.

The Emalahleni leadership then took the matter to the national ANC headquarters at Luthuli House and also reported the allegations to the party’s provincial leadership.

On Friday, Cele — now the deputy minister of agriculture — confirmed he had received a text message from Mahlaba about the allegations, but denied any involvement.

The text message, he said, alleged that he was responsible for the burning down of the offices in Emalahleni.

“I was confused since I was not aware of the incident,” Cele said.

“I called back the number and HEATED CONSPIRACY: Former commissioner Bheki Cele, left, and controversial Cato Manor cop Johan Booysen discovered it was the regional chair in Newcastle.

“I told him I had just returned from [Iran] and I was not aware of the matter.”

Cele said the ANC treasurergeneral, Zweli Mkhize, and the provincial chairman, Senzo Mchunu, also asked him about the issue later.

Booysen and his 23-member unit were arrested in 2012 after it was alleged they were in effect a “hit squad”.

Cele was present in court, to express his support, when they appeared on charges that included murder, attempted mur- der, racketeering, housebreaking and illegal possession of firearms. The unit was shut down by police management.

In March last year, charges against Booysen were withdrawn.

Those loyal to Cele believe that linking him to an alleged “instruction” to Booysen over the arson case was aimed at neutralising the former police commissioner ahead of the ANC’s 2017 national conference.

There is also speculation that there are plans to recharge Booysen and to try to link Cele to some of his alleged crimes.

Unhappiness about the Cato Manor case within the ANC became evident last month when President Jacob Zuma told the SABC that Booysen and his team faced “very, very serious charges”.

“I don’t think there’s a prosecutor who can say ‘I can’t prosecute [them],’ ” the president said.

Asked about the arson case allegations, a furious Booysen responded that whoever was linking him to the case was “talking nonsense”.

“I am aware of the fire incident in Newcastle and I know that the Hawks investigated it, but I had nothing to do with the investigation, let alone know who the suspects are or whether they are still in custody,” he said.

ANC provincial secretary Sihle Zikalala denied that the party had received a complaint about Cele but acknowledged it had heard of the allegations against him.

“The issues of interference were raised as rumours. We checked and we could not establish their validity,” he said.

Mahlaba, meanwhile, has denied ever confronting Cele about the matter.

The case against the two arson suspects returns to court on April 24. They have been released on bail.