Durban - Let’s get ready to rumble in what promises to be a nail-biter as two police unions square off over calls to reinstate Bheki Cele as police commissioner.
In Cele's corner, with 76 000 members, is the South African Policing Union (Sapu) calling for his reinstatement.
In Riah Phiyega's corner, defending her right to remain police boss, is Police and Prison Civil Rights Union (Popcru) with almost 160 000 members.
Without even a boxer’s handshake, Sapu has dealt the first blow, calling on Phiyega to “jump” or they would push her out to make way for Cele.
Sapu KZN provincial secretary Nurse Mdletshe said: “We want Cele back because Phiyega has failed to do her job. She is only worried about whether President Jacob Zuma keeps her as commissioner.
“She doesn’t care about police officers who are killed every day,” she said, following up with an uppercut by saying Phiyega is a “deadbeat commissioner” who is a liability to the policing fraternity.
“Enough is enough. She must go and look after her children because we don’t want her any more,” said Mdletshe.
She said Phiyega’s failure to curb the growing number of police killings was a bone of contention.
Cele, currently deputy minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, was axed as national commissioner in 2012, after allegations of corruption. He had replaced the late Jackie Selebi in July 2009.
Sapu lauded Cele for his success while at the helm of the police and believe he should be given another chance to lead the men in blue.
Mdletshe said Cele’s “stomachs in, chests out” initiative yielded positive results.
With Popcru against the ropes, Mdletshe hit below the belt, saying “most of them have dark clouds hanging over their heads, but they are still serving as ministers and MPLs. Cele mustn’t be an exception – he too must be given a second chance”.
Phiyega faced a barrage of criticism from opposition parties after the Marikana commission found her partially responsible for the death of 34 people on August 16, 2012, during labour unrest at Lonmin platinum mines.
Phiyega again came under fire earlier this week when a DA member, Dianne Kohler Barnard, read to the National Assembly a “threatening SMS” she allegedly received from the commissioner.
Reeling from the heavy blows, Popcru threw a counterpunch, saying the claims levelled by Sapu against Phiyega were “baseless”.
KZN Popcru secretary Kwenza Nxele said Phiyega was equal to the task. In her defence, Nxele said: “She has done her best to ensure stability in the police. The claims that she has under-performed are baseless.”
Nxele said praise for Cele’s work as police commissioner was justifiable, but “he achieved all the things they are bragging about because we supported him. And now Sapu has a problem with us supporting Phiyega in her work as commissioner. I really think that's unfair”.
Nxele said Phiyega had become a victim of a political game. “This issue has been politicised and Phiyega finds herself on the receiving end.”
Playing the role of referee, Zakhele Ndlovu, a political analyst from UKZN, pulled no punches as he warned the labour unions to guard against being used as “political tools”.
“The bout between the unions is politically motivated. It is becoming commonplace in South Africa for politicians to use labour unions for their own gain,” said Ndlovu.
In an attempt to knock down Popcru, Mdletshe of Sapu threw a roundhouse, accusing Popcru of selling out police officers.
“Popcru signed a resolution along with other unions during a bargaining council meeting in May against officers having a special danger allowance,” she alleged.
But Nxele ducked, refuting the claim: “These people are misleading officers. The resolution excluded only office-bound staff such as secretaries and clerks from getting a danger allowance.
“They deliberately misled officers and the public because they have their own agenda,” said Nxele.
The Sunday Tribune has seen the copy of the resolutions taken at the meeting.
Ndlovu made a ruling that it was possible, although it would not go down well with others if Cele were reinstated as commissioner.
But this, he said, would rely on who he aligned himself with after the president concluded his current term.
Sunday Tribune