Durban - Police Minister Bheki Cele has conceded he could have handled himself better following a heated argument between himself and Action Society's Ian Cameron.
The pair have been trending this week after a video of the police minister screaming at Cameron to shut up at a community meeting went viral.
During a briefing by the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster on Friday, Cele was taken to task over his response to Cameron.
You caught feelings because Ian Cameron said, “nonsense”. He never called your mother kitchen girl or your father garden boy & through all the videos - we’ve never seen a table that @IanCameron23 banged either. Liar Liar pants on fire Bheki Cele #CeleMustVoetsek pic.twitter.com/Udv6gTCWrC
— S (@SunflowerSrina) July 8, 2022
"The robust and others, yes, could have happened a better way by both the people rendering respect," Cele said.
He said Cameron failed to render the same respect he was given when he addressed the panel at a community meeting.
Cele said Cameron, who was not invited to the meeting, had shared his grievances. However, when it came his (Cele's) turn to speak, Cameron also spoke.
The meeting was between police and residents from the Nyanga and Gugulethu communities to discuss crime and concerns around SAPS deployment.
Cameron said they were mandated by survivors and families of gender-based violence victims to speak on their behalf. He says he addressed Cele about patrols in the area.
Cameron was later forced out of the meeting by police.
Action Society has since laid charges of crimen injuria and common assault at the Gugulethu Police Station against Cele and members of the police who forcibly removed him from a community meeting in Gugulethu on Tuesday.
I just laid charges against police minister Bheki Cele and the SAPS members from Tuesday's altercation in Gugulethu. #CeleMustGo @ActionSocietySA pic.twitter.com/StbLxn643d
— Ian Cameron (@IanCameron23) July 7, 2022
IOL