Bheki Cele
Former police minister Bheki Cele told Parliament’s ad hoc committee that he stayed twice at Vusimuzi Matlala’s apartment and saw no issue with accepting hospitality from someone he did not know well.
Former Police Minister Bheki Cele appeared before Parliament’s ad hoc committee on Thursday, where he responded to questions about his relationship with businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and the circumstances surrounding the formation of the Police Killings Task Team (PKTT). The committee is probing allegations of political interference in the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Cele confirmed that he stayed twice at Matlala’s apartment in Pretoria earlier this year. He told the committee that he did not see any problem in accepting hospitality from Matlala, despite the businessman being under investigation. “No, I took it. I am not in government, so if I am in Pretoria, I spend my money. If I were in government, I would have gone and declared, but I declare to nobody now,” said Cele.
Committee member Xola Nqola questioned Cele about whether it concerned him that Matlala, a person he barely knew, offered him accommodation free of charge. “Did it not concern you that someone you hardly know offers you to live at his place freely? There’s no relationship, no association, only one or two meetings. Given your experience in the police service, was there no concern?” Nqola asked.
Cele repeated that he saw no issue with the arrangement. Nqola also pressed Cele on whether Matlala had ever asked him to intervene in his SAPS contract dispute. He denied that such a request had been made. “No, he didn’t, but I think it will have to be checked when that discussion takes place,” he said.
Cele told the committee that he later learned that 23 of Matlala’s security staff had been recruited from the Special Task Force of the South African army. “It nearly made me fall,” he said.
Responding to questions about the PKTT Cele said he still regarded its formation as one of the best decisions taken under his tenure. “The only source that I know had a problem with the PKTT is aunt Mary De Haas. For me, it was one of the best decisions that this team was formed,” he said.
Evidence leader Norman Arendse read a message from KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, in which Mkhwanazi apologised to Cele for earlier allegations against him that were later found to be untrue.
Cele also told the committee that during his time in office, he had received information from convicted criminals and had met individuals such as illegal mining figure Louis Liebenberg.
