Bheki Cele and Cyril Ramaphosa attend a SAPS briefing, October 2019 – Photo: Flickr
Bheki Cele and Cyril Ramaphosa attend a SAPS briefing, October 2019 – Photo: Flickr
The South African Human Rights Commission’s hearings into the July Riots have got underway on Monday, and proceedings kicked off with some bombshell revelations. Police Minister Bheki Cele confirmed to the SAHRC that, during last year’s unrest, death threats were made against President Ramaphosa.
Cyril Ramaphosa ‘was a target’ for July riot instigators
Cele explained that he wanted to take decisive action against the death threats, but SAPS were hamstrung in their ability to find the perpetrators. The messages were posted on social media, with ministers and their partners also being targeted:
“I was concerned because there were calls for President Ramaphosa to be killed. I inquired as to whether those social media posts could be followed up, but SAPS told me they weren’t equipped to do that.”
Bheki Cele
July Riots: How farce turned into disaster
Bheki Cele’s testimony has certainly been eye-opening. He has admitted to glaring errors committed by Crime Intelligence bosses, and even revealed that his own personal disputes may have impacted the response to the riots. The hatted politician unpacked the build-up to the violence, which left over 300 people dead in KZN and Gauteng.
- Minister Cele admits he could see ‘trouble brewing’, as he went to meet Jacob Zuma at Nkandla.
- The top cop is convinced that Zuma’s arrest ‘was a major factor’ in sparking the July Riots.
- Crime Intelligence, according to Bheki Cele, were ‘woefully unprepared’ for what unfolded.
- In fact, the CI department has been accused of sabotage, by providing ‘zero intelligence’ on the matter.
- In the build-up, social media posts also threatened ministers and their SPOUSES.
- Crucially, Cele admitted his ongoing dispute with the National Commissioner ‘contributed to a lack of intelligence’.
Death threats made against President Ramaphosa
A group of instigators had been identified by SAPS shortly after the riots broke out, but the process to hold these suspects to account has been painstakingly slow. President Ramaphosa was identified as a target by those baying for blood, and he can perhaps count himself lucky that he didn’t fall victim to a myriad of security failures.
#JulyUnrest Cele says he was concerned because there were calls for the President to be killed and he inquired whether those social media posts could be followed up and he was told SAPS wasn't equipped to do that.
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) February 21, 2022
