An unfazed General Bheki Cele spent Thursday working out at the gym with the English rugby team.
The suspended national police commissioner 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 Independent Newspapers, adding that he felt “very, very good” and said he had “no stress”.
“I don’t suffer from (Richard) Mdluli’s disease,” he joked, referring to reports of the suspended crime intelligence boss being ill.
Cele’s comments come after Independent Newspapers was told by three police sources he had been fired.
He said: “I hope the president (Jacob Zuma) speaks soon, so one can deal with facts rather than rumours.”
On Thursday, Cele lunched at his favourite fish restaurant in Durban’s upmarket Florida Road area and was shopping for groceries when Independent Newspapers reached him in the late afternoon.
Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj again refused to comment on “rumours” and “speculation” over what action Zuma might take after considering Judge Jake Moloi’s report on the police lease deals scandal, involving Cele, 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 Zuma was “studying” Moloi’s report, but would not comment on what progress had been 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, director-general of the Department of Labour and another former 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 police chief 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.
“Let me confirm we have every intention of pursuing this matter all the way to the courts, to ensure (Judge Moloi’s) report is declared legally unsound and invalid.”
He said legal papers would be filed “as soon as an official decision is made as to whether the general keeps his job” or not.
Mkhize said legal processes could be pursued even if Cele was not sacked.
“We want the report to be erased from the public record. This process would have to be initiated (by the president). It would be up to him.”
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. Bear in mind that we have waited for nine months now, so what’s one more hour or one more day.”
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.
“So if the ANC were to say to him he should redirect his passion to delivering exercise books to schools, you can bet your bottom dollar he will bring the same passion, enthusiasm and efficiency to that task,” Mkhize said.
Cope MP and spokesman on police Leonard Ramatlakane said the party was concerned by Zuma’s “silence in the midst of reports” 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.
“Cope believes the inevitable firing of Cele, whose office has been riddled with unpopular decisions, will help stabilise the destroyed police morale.”
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. The lingering of Zuma is creating further uncertainty and undermining the morale in the police,” Groenewald said.
“Further allegations that Cele wants to return to politics in KwaZulu-Natal are also creating the impression that Zuma is waiting until Cele is politically accommodated, but in the meantime Cele is still receiving a salary.”
“The acting commissioner (Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi) cannot function properly if he is only there temporarily.”
The Star