ANC manifesto launch: Bheki Cele criticised for helicopter stunt
Cele has been slammed by the public for misusing and abusing state resources such as in his helicopter stunt at the ANC manifesto.
National Police Minister, Bheki Cele, should be billed in his personal capacity for chartering a South African Police Service (SAPS) helicopter to the ANC’s manifesto launch at Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban, says the Democratic Alliance (DA).
Cele has been slammed by the public for misusing and abusing state resources, the official opposition party says he should be held personally liable for the flight costs.
Police Minister Bheki Cele has arrived at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in a SAPS helicopter. Cele is now surveilling the area in the same chopper, which has taken to the skies again.
— IOL News (@IOL) February 24, 2024
📷: Jehran Naidoo#ANCManifestoLaunch pic.twitter.com/XY2Rk2xva9
GROSS ABUSE OF STATE RESOURCES
“Cele’s helicopter stunt was a gross abuse of state resources and he should be made to pay for every flight minute that the helicopter was in the air,” says Andrew Whitfield, the DA’s Shadow Minister of Police.
He said: “In addition, the DA is calling for a full SAPS internal investigation to review the decision making process that authorized the use of the helicopter by Cele. All the SAPS officers – across the chain of command, who signed off on this irregular use of a police asset, should be subjected to a disciplinary process.”
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IT’S TIME HE ACCOUNTS FOR HIS RECKLESS ACTIONS
Social media users expressed concern over Cele’s antics saying that when citizens call the police to report serious crimes such as murders, hijackings and robberies, they are told that the SAPS do not have the resources to combat these crimes.
“Wasteful expenditure, using state resources for personal gains. It’s time he accounts for his reckless actions,” @Mlungisi51895581 said.
HELICOPTER SHOULD BE USED BY NATIONAL COMMISSIONER NOT CELE
“State resources being played with at a political event. He’s gonna claim it was part of the duty of SAPS to ensure no attacks or riots at the event,” @sirboring _26 said.
“This helicopter was supposed to be used by the National Commissioner and General Mkhwanazi not a political head he is abusing the resources of the police, he has got nothing to do with operations,” @MLANDO60870174 said.