TLU SA once again asks the president and the portfolio committee on police to relieve the minister of police, Bheki Cele, from his duties.
During the past week of unrest, and under the failing management of the police minister, more than one million rounds of ammunition were stolen from a container yard near the Durban port while under the care of the police. Cele still denies that the bullets were under the supervision of the police.
"Actually, it does not matter under whose supervision this happened," says Mr Henry Geldenhuys, the president of TLU SA. "Thieves stole the bullets, and very little has been recovered. However, if it did indeed happen under the supervision of the police, we want to know how it happened, who did it, and how the government will act against the guilty parties and Cele.
"Either way, we are still very concerned about where the ammunition will turn up and how much damage it will do."
The owner of the destined business said the police dragged their feet in permitting the cargo to leave the port. He said they usually receive permission to leave the dock and then undergoes inspection in Pretoria or Johannesburg. They have been importing ammunition for 55 years. But this time, the authorities insisted the assessment be done in Durban.
This correlates with allegations that police members with knowledge of the container's content tipped off the thieves. The Hawks are investigating this claim.
Cele also said that they had found back 10 000 rounds of ammunition stolen from another firearm store in Durban – while he was in Durban himself -, but other sources suggest it formed part of the bullets stolen from the container.
TLU SA also finds the police's handling of the unrest completely unacceptable. Especially where they tried to stop communities from protecting themselves, as happened in Phoenix in KwaZulu-Natal.
"We do not accept the minister's weak excuses when something goes wrong in his department. Sometimes he even blatantly lies," says Mr Geldenhuys. "How many times will the government accept the actions of someone in this position before realising he is not capable of doing this critical job?"
TLU SA's campaign to have Cele fired is still available at the following link: https://www.tlu.co.za/en/tsamaea-cele-eng/
TLU SA vra wéér dat Cele se kop moet rol
TLU SA rig weereens die versoek dat die minister van polisie, Bheki Cele uit sy pos ontslaan word, aan die president en die portefeuljekomitee vir polisie.
Onder die falende bestuur van die polisieminister is meer as ‘n miljoen rondtes ammunisie tydens die afgelope week van onrus uit ‘n vraghouerperseel naby die Durbanse hawe gesteel, terwyl dit onder die polisie se toesig was. Cele ontken tot dusver dat dit onder die polisie se bewaking was.
“Uiteindelik maak dit nie saak onder wie se toesig dit was nie,” sê mnr. Henry Geldenhuys, die president van TLU SA. “Die patrone is gesteel en baie min daarvan kon al teruggevind word. As dit wel onder die toesig van die polisie gebeur het, wil ons baie dringend weet hoe dit gebeur het, wie betrokke was en hoe daar teen die skuldiges, en Cele opgetree gaan word.
“Iedergeval is ons steeds baie bekommerd oor waar die ammunisie gaan opduik en watter skade dit verder gaan veroorsaak.”
Die onderneming vir wie die patrone bestem was het gesê die polisie het gesloer om toestemming te gee dat die ammunisie die hawe mag verlaat. Die eienaar sê dat die vragte gewoonlik – hulle voer al vir 55 jaar ammunisie in – goedgekeur word om die hawe te verlaat en dan in Pretoria of Johannesburg geïnspekteer word. Maar hierdie keer het die owerhede aangedring dat die inspeksie in Durban gedoen word.
Dit strook met die bewering dat polisielede met kennis van die inhoud die inligting aan die diewe verskaf het. Die Valke ondersoek hierdie bewering.
Cele het ook gesê dat 10 000 patrone wat terselfdertyd uit ‘n ander vuurwapenwinkel in die Durban-omgewing gesteel is – terwyl hy self in Durban was – teruggekry is, maar ander bronne meen dat dit deel van die gesteelde besending was.
Verder is die hantering van die onrus-situasie heeltemal onaanvaarbaar. Veral waar die polisie probeer verhoed het dat gemeenskappe hulleself beskerm, soos in Phoenix in KwaZulu-Natal.
“Ons keur dit nie goed dat die minister altyd ‘n flou verskoning het wanneer iets in sy departement verkeerd loop nie. Soms lieg hy sommer oop en bloot,” sê mnr. Geldenhuys. “Hoeveel keer gaan die regering dié optrede van iemand in sy posisie aanvaar, voordat hulle besef hy is nie opgewasse vir sy uiters belangrike taak nie?”
TLU SA se veldtog om Cele se kop te laat rol, is steeds aktief by hierdie skakel: https://www.tlu.co.za/tsamaea-cele/
