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Calls for rape apologist to be removed as Minister

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DA calls for rape apologist, Bheki Cele, to be removed as Police Minister

Dear MyPE

The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on President Cyril Ramaphosa to remove Bheki Cele as Minister of Police following his outrageous, and cavalier remarks about a police officer who allegedly raped his wife. In addition to this, we call on the Minister to publicly apologise to the nation.

Minister Cele accused the media of negative reporting on police behaviour during the lockdown, following the Independent Police Investigative Directorate’s (IPID) release of statistics detailing police brutality and violence.

In reference to a case where a member of the police was accused of raping his wife during the lockdown, Minister Cele watered down the gravity of the allegations by stating the report that a member of the police raped a woman during the lockdown is untrue because It was the woman’s husband, who happens to be a police officer, who raped her. The Minister then went on to question the need for the media to highlight that it was indeed a police officer who committed this heinous act against his wife.

As of 2 April 2020, South Africa had an estimated 87 000 cases [Editor – see note below for the actual numbers] of gender-based violence (GBV) reported during the lockdown. The scourge of GBV is real, and it is irresponsible that the Minister would expect the media to censor themselves by not reporting on cases where those who are responsible for protecting us, are in fact doing us harm.

The Minister is a rape apologist, and he must be held accountable for his careless and insensitive justifications for rape.

The DA calls on President to Ramaphosa to remove Bheki Cele from his position, as he has proven, especially during this lockdown period that he is not fit for office. The President cannot, in good conscious allow a person who is a rape apologist to continue serving as a Minister of Police.

Regards

Andrew Whitfield MP
DA Shadow Minister of Police

Editor: In relation to gender based violence, Minister Cele confirmed that the number of complaints remained high and therefore concerning. Over 2 300 calls/complaints have been registered since the beginning of the lockdown on 27 March 2020 until 31 March 2020 and from these, 148 suspects were charged. The figure in relation to calls/complaints between January 2020 and 31 March 2020 stands at 15 924. Once all reports have been consolidated, the figures will be measured against the number of calls/complaints received through the GBV Command Centre in 2019, where the figure stands at 87 920. Read more: http://mype.co.za/new/lockdown-sees-a-decrease-in-serious-and-violent-crimes/131987/2020/04/

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.