Police Minister Bheki Cele has been slammed for apparently misusing and abusing state resources after he was seen landing at the ANC’s Manifesto Launch in Durban, in a SA Police Service helicopter on Saturday morning.
Cele landed at the Moses Mabhida Stadium at around 10am. He was later seen entering the chopper again, in what was believed to be an exercise in surveilling the area with a bird eye’s view, before he was seen seated on the main stage with other National Executive Committee members of the ANC as President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the manifesto.
Cele said earlier that the top police management, including top cop General Fannie Masemola and all his provincial commissioners, were deployed to Durban to ensure “no funny business” took place.
Police Minister Bheki Cele has arrived at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in a SAPS helicopter. Cele is now surveilling the area in the same chopper, which has taken to the skies again.
— IOL News (@IOL) February 24, 2024
📷: Jehran Naidoo#ANCManifestoLaunch pic.twitter.com/XY2Rk2xva9
IOL News posted on X about Cele’s chopper arrival, sparking much criticism from readers who said the minister was abusing state resources.
During the final of the Rugby World Cup in Paris, Cele again got in hot water over his trip, which included taxpayers forking out R450,000 for the travel costs of his executive assistant, while about R30,000 was spent on him, as an unnamed company sponsored most of his costs.
On Saturday, as many ANC supporters were claiming victory over the battle of filling up stadiums after a solid turnout, some quarters accused Cele of abusing state resources for the ANC’s benefit.
“State resources being played with at a political event. He's gonna claim it was part of the duty of SAPS to ensure no attacks or riots at the event,” @sirboring _26 said.
State resources being played with at a political event. He's gonna claim it was part of the duty of SAPS to ensure no attacks or riots at the event
— Sirboring🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦 (@sirboring_26) February 24, 2024
“This helicopter was supposed to be used by the National Commissioner and General Mkhwanazi not a political head he is abusing the resources of the police, he has got nothing to do with operations,” @MLANDO60870174 said.
This helicopter was supposed to be used by the National commissioner and General Mkhwanazi not a political head he is abusing resources of the police ,he is got nothing to do with operations
— MLANDO (@MLANDO60870174) February 24, 2024
“Wasteful expenditure, using state resources for personal gains. It's time he accounts for his reckless actions,” @Mlungisi51895581 said.
Wasteful expenditure, using state resources for personal gains. It's time he accounts for his reckless actions.
— Mlungisi KaZihlandlo (@Mlungis51895581) February 24, 2024
In defence of Cele, some users pointed out that Cele remained the police minister, even when he was performing his duties as an NEC member of the ANC.
“Before all you say, 'state resources for political nton nton' This is in the ministerial handbook, it allows the minister to use state resources for what it terms private functions,” @DonaldMathekga said.
Before all you say, 'state resources for political nton nton'
— Donald (@DonaldMathekga) February 24, 2024
This is in the ministerial handbook, it allows the minister to use state resources for what it terms private functions.
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