The Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interest has found Police Minister Bheki Cele guilty of breaching the code of ethical conduct for MPs when he shouted ‘shut up’ at Ian Cameron last year.
The minister went off at the director of Action Society during a crime imbizo when Cameron interrupted Cele and accused him of failing to protect citizens and not deploying enough police to crime hot spots.
Also read: Ian Cameron won’t shut up as he takes on Cele and Sisulu with another big call out
As per News24, more than 30 identified community organisations attended to discuss issues of crime, policing concerns and challenges faced by the police.
Things escalated when Cele told Cameron to ‘shut up’, saying that he is a ‘son of the soil’. ‘I chose not to speak about politics today. Whatever happens to me, I will be buried in this country. I did not join human rights battles yesterday. I will not be called a garden boy. Don’t provoke me. I’ve lived this life. Shut up!’
After the rant, police officers forcibly removed Cameron from the venue.
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The committee found that as an MP, Cele was required to act in a manner that would ‘maintain public confidence and trust in the integrity of Parliament and thereby engender the respect and confidence that society needs to have in Parliament as a representative institution,’ even if he was unhappy with the way in which Cameron addressed the issue.
‘[T]he video footage taken on the day, which was played in the committee, shows that the member [Cele] was irate and that he did shout at the complainant.’
Furthermore, the committee says it wants Cele to apologise to Cameron in front of members of the National Assembly.
JUST IN: Parliament’s ethics committee finds police minister Bheki Cele breached MPs’ code of conduct when he shouted “shut up” and ordered police to remove Action Society’s @IanCameron23 from a police imbizo in Gugulethu last July. pic.twitter.com/7DIHko5gCY
— Action Society (@ActionSocietySA) October 2, 2023
Cameron says it is good that Cele is being held publicly accountable. ‘It’s sad that there has been no prosecution for his actions regarding the assault matter. Whether it’s enough, I’m not sure; I am surprised that the committee has come to a conclusion. It’s been more than a year later.’
Action Society published a statement in which Cameron says that Cele should resign from office. ‘An honourable person would step out gracefully. But Cele seems too power-hungry for that. That is why Action Society will continue to demand that he be removed from his position as Minister of Police.’
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Picture: @SAgovnews / X