Cape Town/ Johannesburg - Political parties have welcomed the departure of National Police Commissioner Khehla Sitole and called on Police Minister Bheki Cele to follow him out the door.
The Presidency said on Friday Sitole had agreed to an early termination of his contract with President Cyril Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa said the early termination was in the best interest of the country.
Sitole will leave at the end of next month and his replacement will be named soon. Him and Cele have been embroiled in public spats for several months now.
Ramaphosa had promised to make changes in the security cluster a fortnight ago. “I am grateful to General Sitole for the constructive discussions we have had over the termination of his position as National Commissioner.
“I wish to convey my appreciation to General Sitole for his service to the nation over many years in the SAPS. I wish him the best in his future endeavours,” said Ramaphosa.
DA MP and its spokesperson on police Andrew Whitfield said it was time for Sitole to go. “Clearly it was time for Sitole to go. However, the details of this dismissal is scant and the public deserves to know whether a golden handshake was given.
“While Sitole's removal is welcomed, Police Minister Bheki Cele must follow suit if the president is serious about starting the hard work of rebuilding trust and credibility in the SAPS,” said Whitfield.
The EFF said it viewed the departure of Sitole as yet another instance of misfiring by Ramaphosa that is based purely on factional interests.
“Sitole, has become a casualty of Ramaphosa’s cowardice and attempt to please his henchman Bheki Cele, who is the central problem to the crisis confronting the SAPS. The EFF reiterates its call for the complete removal of Bheki Cele as a minister of police.
“Anything outside of this, means that there will never be stability or coherence in SAPS, because Cele treats his colleagues like children,” said EFF spokesperson Sinawo Tambo.
UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said: “There is nothing to write home about.”
Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Groenewald said the early termination of the contract for Sitole would certainly contribute to easing the tension between Cele’s office and senior management of the police.
“The senior management will now be able to focus more on what they are supposed to do; that is police work and fighting crime in South Africa.
“Ramaphosa must also replace Cele, because he has an (aspiration) to become police commissioner and he will always interfere; even if there is a new commissioner and then we will have the same situation of tension.
“We also ask Ramaphosa to appoint a commission which consists of people with a knowledge of police work and the commissioner must appear before that commission. The commission must ensure an experienced person is appointed as commissioner of police. We need a commissioner with experience,” said Groenewald.
COPE expressed disappointment at Ramaphosa for only sacking Sitole and not Cele. “In our view Ramaphosa is supposed to also fire Cele: he has failed in his duty to keep the country safe,” said Cope spokesperson Dennis Bloem.
Bloem said in the report on the July unrest, the panel made it clear that the executive must take full responsibility for what happened. “It cannot be that only Sitole must be fired. It will be in the best interest of the country to also fire Cele,” said Bloem.
The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) welcomed the departure of Sitole. "We welcome the decision. However, we should all be worried that since our democratic breakthrough, there has only been one national commissioner who has finished his term of office," Popcru spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said.
The South African Policing Union (SAPU) said it wasn’t surprised by what had happened. “We saw it coming. We knew it would be difficult for Ramaphosa to fire Sitole.
“Sitole failed to do his duties. It is clear that Stole has been bought out. This is in the interest of politicians and not the interest of the country,” Sapu spokesperson, Lesiba Thobakgale, said.