Tensions were rife in Camps Bay, Western Cape, where Police Minister Bheki Cele faced off with mayco member JP Smith on set of a film shoot, on Wednesday.
Watch: Bheki Cele faces off with JP Smith in Camps Bay
Cele and his blue henchmen were canvassing the Atlantic Seaboard when they came across the set of a film shoot. As reported by IOL News, a production crew and extras were filming a make-shift beach party for an advert.
In Cele’s view, there were too many people huddled in a single designated area and that is prohibited in the advanced Alert Level 1 regulations.
The police minister ordered a team of officials to monitor the shut down of the shoot, despite the fact that the crew had obtained a legal permit from the City of Cape Town.
As the film crew was preparing to pack up and leave, Smith descended on the scene with his own team of officials to confront Cele.
@SAPoliceService minister Bheki Cele has called off a commercial filmed at Camps Bay Beach in Cape Town. The commercial organisers said they were given a permit by the @CityofCT.
— Sisonke Mlamla (@SISONKE_MD) December 16, 2020
@IOL @TheCapeArgus @mandietshwete @DailyVoiceSA pic.twitter.com/KNEynYY7jC
City of Cape Town will take SAPS to court
In the video clip, Cele could be heard challenging the City’s mayco member for community safety and security to take the issue up in court, almost taunting Smith who could do nothing to stop the police orders.
Smith has since revealed that the City will be seeking an urgent court interdict on the matter of film shoots in public areas, including the beach.
In a statement, the safety and security mayco member accused Cele of pillaging police resources on frivolities while the Cape Flats remains riddled with crime and little police presence.
“Apparently all crime in the Cape Flats and townships have been eliminated. The entourage walking around the beaches and visiting the sites with Cele includes 47 officers and at least four generals – how is that for the productive application of police resources?” he asked.