Bheki Cele explains agency ‘turf wars’ and ministerial power to pursue TRC cases
· Citizen
Bheki Cele has attempted to absolve himself of any responsibility in dealing with Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) investigations while serving as police minister.
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Cele is one of three former police ministers who are due to testify before the Khampepe Commission of Inquiry into alleged political interference in TRC cases.
The commission is into its ninth month after attempts by former Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma to have commissioner Sisi Khampepe recuse herself from proceedings.
Hawks had the power
Commissioners are probing witnesses on allegations that TRC cases may have been purposefully stalled after families of deceased political activists complained that they had not received justice.
Commissioners asked Cele what policies he had implemented while he was minister of police between 2018 and 2024.
Cele explained that the policies of the police did not target specific crimes, but that existing legislation empowered the national police commissioner to deal with specific categories of crimes.
“This one [TRC cases] also did not fall directly under the commissioner. It still fell under the head of Hawks, which had a little bit of independence.”
Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya was appointed head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in 2018, several months after Cele took office.
“So, Lebeya then, would have been responsible. After he has been appointed, he would have been responsible for specifically dealing with these matters, even outside the mandate of the commissioner of police,” said Cele.
When pressed on his role in monitoring investigations, Cele was adamant that he played no role in guiding investigations.
“Investigations, as I have said, do not come to the minister. The minister should not even know who investigates whom.
“It is not my job to know who is being investigated or not investigated. It is the national commissioner and the head of the Hawks. I might know, but when it comes to operations per se, it could not be me running that,” said Cele.
‘Turf wars’ between agencies
Cele confirmed South African Police Service (Saps) members worked within the Hawks, but that they reported to the head of the Hawks.
He also opened up on staff shortages, recruitment from within Saps, and the internal politics he experienced within the various bodies associated with the justice cluster.
“One major problem that the Hawks faced, that was a reality, is that until I left the police, the Hawks were always operating almost on the 50-plus capacity. They were never at full capacity
“There is this problem of a multi-crossing within the law enforcement agencies. That will be where there is Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), now there is Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), there is Hawks, there are police.
“That makes, sometimes, you have what you will call turf wars. People who will leave the police because they are angry, they go to IPID, and sometimes they go the extra mile as a revenge, and avenge, instead of dealing with the job,” said the former minister.
Cele suggested each agency should train and develop their own personnel to promote specialisation and unity.
Fikile Mbalula, ANC secretary-general and police minister between March 2017 and February 2018, is scheduled to be before the commission on Wednesday, with his predecessor, Nathi Nhleko, due on Thursday.