Cele pumps iron as he awaits fate
‘I don’t have Mdluli’s disease’
AN UNFAZED General Bheki Cele spent yesterday working out at the gym with the English rugby team. He had not been told he was to be fired, he said, and the first he had heard about it was in the media.
“I heard from you that I am fired,” he told the Daily News, adding that he felt “very, very good”, and said he had “no stress”.
“I don’t suffer from Mdluli’s disease,” he joked, referring to reports of suspended crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli being ill.
Cele’s comments came after the Daily News was told by three police sources he had been fired.
However, he said: “I hope the president speaks soon, so one can deal with facts rather than rumours.”
Yesterday, Cele dined at his favourite fish restaurant in Durban’s Florida Road area, and was shopping for groceries when comment was sought from him.
Refused
Presidential spokesman, Mac Maharaj, again refused to comment on “rumours” and “speculation” over what action President Jacob Zuma might take after considering Judge Jake Moloi’s report on the police lease deals scandal, involving Cele in his role as national commissioner, sacked public works minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde and controversial businessman Roux Shabangu.
“The rumours remain rumours. The speculation remains speculation,” Maharaj said.
“I won’t say (the rumours) are not true. I will say when the president informs me.”
He said to comment “either way” would give the rumours “legs” and would be “pre-empting” a decision by the president.
He said Zuma was “studying” Moloi’s report, but would not comment on progress made.
Asked whether the president was considering calls for a more transparent process to appoint a new national police commissioner, with speculation rife that Zuma might replace Cele with Nathi Nhleko, currently director-general of the Department of Labour and another old colleague of Zuma’s from KwaZulu-Natal, Maharaj said people could “make all their calls”.
“If they want to rewrite the constitution, they can. You make these calls because you think you can do a better job (than the president),” Maharaj said.
Cele’s spokesman, Vuyo Mkhize, said the suspended commissioner was ready to take the fight to the courts.
“We are not preparing. Right now we are prepared. The legal papers are prepared,” Mkhize said.
He said legal papers would be filed “as soon as an official decision is made as to whether the general keeps his job”.
He said legal processes could be pursued even if Cele was not sacked.
He said they had not heard from the Presidency, but were in no rush to contact it either.
“We are happy to bide our time. We have waited for nine months now, so what’s one more hour or one more day?” he said.
He said Cele would be happy to serve in another position if asked.
“The general’s passion is about service delivery, in general – not just policing,” Mkhize said.
Cope MP and spokesman on police, Leonard Ramatlakane, said the party was concerned by Zuma’s “silence in the midst of reports” that Cele had been fired.
He said the allegations against Cele were so damning he should not continue in his position as national police commissioner.
“He should have resigned soon after the public protector released her findings,” Ramatlakane said.
Freedom Front Plus MP and spokesman on police, Pieter Groenewald, said Zuma should make his decision public.
“If the speculation is true that Cele has already been fired, the question arises why Zuma has not announced it,” Groenewald said.
“The acting commissioner (Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi) cannot function properly if he is only there temporarily. (Cele) is the second consecutive national commissioner (who does) not have any police training and acted scandalously.”