By: Ofentse Seanego
National Police Commissioner Khehla Sitole has refuted allegations that he was plotting with Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema to topple Police Minister Bheki Cele.
Sitole said he had learnt with shock and dismay the allegations made by Cele that he had plotted with Malema. His spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo confirmed that the pair had a meeting, and it was at the behest of the Deputy Minister of Police, Mr Cassel Mathale.
“The Deputy Minister requested General Sitole to meet with Mr Julius Malema to address potential threats against him (Mr Malema),” Naidoo said.
He added that Malema met with Sitole and the Head of Protection and Security Services, Lieutenant General Sam Shitlabane, in 2020 at the Tshwane Training Academy.
“The meeting was solely about the alleged threats against Mr Malema and nothing else to which feedback was provided to the Deputy Minister. The National Commissioner was under the impression that the Minister was aware of the content of that meeting, given that his Deputy facilitated it,” he said.
Cele on Monday told the sitting of Parliament, during the debate on the State of the Nation Address, that Malema had allegedly met with Sitole on December 10, where they hatched a plan to oust him.
That followed Malema’s plea to President Cyril Ramaphosa to fire Cele. In response, Cele said he was not surprised that Malema would call for changes in a Cabinet that he does not have.
“The honourable Malema will have to wait, win elections, have a Cabinet, appoint a Cabinet, and don’t appoint a Cabinet of other presidents. You have to wait. Maybe the time will come. I won’t go back to December 10, where there was a meeting between yourself and the National Commissioner and the plan, and the plot was hatched that I must be chased. I am not surprised that today this is happening. But as a leader of the opposition, he has a right to make the suggestion. But I don’t like to be patronised. If you don’t want me as Minister, say so, don’t put me in other places because it’s not your job and duty to do so,” Cele said.
Sitole and Cele have been at loggerheads for some time. Cele has even written to Ramaphosa, calling for Sitole’s removal. He had to make representation as to why he should not be fired.
Sitole added that he was amazed that his name and image was being tarnished for political reasons.
“He decided to issue this statement of clarity since his name is mentioned in Parliament, and it’s important for such an institution to know and understand the facts,” Naidoo said.
