It has been a busy day for Police Minister Bheki Cele who has taken on an abrupt media tour to clean up a colossal mess that resulted in the death of Mthokozisi Ntumba.
Bheki Cele interview: Three shocking things he said
On Thursday, the minister started his day off by visiting the family of the slain 35-year-old who was randomly shot and killed by armed police officers deployed to restore order in Braamfontein, on Wednesday, where Wits students had been protesting.
After facing harsh questions from the media, Cele faced a hotter seat at Newszoom Afrika. Anchor Xoli Mngambi asked the tough questions and here are the three shocking statements Cele made:
Police took the life of a breadwinner
As more information continues to trickle through on Ntumba, a clearer picture is formed of how much of a pillar he was for his family.
Cele echoed this sentiment, stating that after walking out of the family residence, it dawned on just how dire the consequences of his police officials’ actions are.
“I saw the kids. I saw the young wife. I saw the family, the story of the family was told. He [was] a young man of 35. The [youngest] kid is less than a year. There are siblings of five, they are all looking at him as the main breadwinner. He was still dealing with other siblings. He had just finished his Master’s degree, working for government – the Human Settlements. It’s a loss,” Cele said.
Police who killed Ntumba still actively on duty
The question that lingers on a day after the gruesome incident is, what has happened to the police officers who are responsible for Ntumba’s death?
Cele shrugged at this, stating that at this time, his hands are tied. The investigation, he said, was being handled by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) and no further developments have come from their end.
Meaning, the police officers in question have not been suspended. Instead, they have been moved to other units, pending the outcome of the Ipid probe.
‘I never told police to shoot to kill’
The police minister was once again, in the midst of a police brutality case, faced with a reminder of the directive he allegedly gave to the police force back when he was a national commissioner.
Except, Cele has maintained that the infamous ‘shoot to kill’ has never escaped his mouth. Instead, he said, his words were tuned by the media.
Cele has challenged any media journalist with a transcript of his 2009 statement to present it and indicate where, in his speech, he had — verbatim — instructed officers to ‘shoot to kill’.
The minister is expected to address the media once Ipid investigators have made progress in the internal probe.
