Heavy handed? Action Society vows to take on Cele and police

Action Society says it will be laying charges and complaints against police minister Bheki Cele and members of the police who removed the lobby group’s leader from a meeting in Gugulethu on Tuesday.

Cele shouted at Ian Cameron, director of community safety at Action Society, to shut up and sit down after the minister failed to answer questions about his apparent inability to fulfil his constitutional mandate to protect South Africans against crime.

Survivors and families of victims of gender-based violence had mandated Action Society to speak on their behalf during the meeting.

Police members then forcibly removed Cameron from the meeting.

The organisation also has a #Celemustgo campaign, in which it accuses Cele of being  culpable for the continued mismanagement of the police. 

“Action Society and I will be laying four charges and complaints against Bheki Cele and the members of the SA Police Service who spinelessly removed me from yesterday’s community meeting held in Gugulethu,” Cameron said.

Action Society said it will lodge a complaint with the public protector in terms of the Executive Members’ Ethics Act and its code of ethics for Cele’s “disgraceful” conduct, failure to act in good faith and allegedly compromising the credibility and integrity of his office.

Action Society said it will also lodge a complaint with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, to investigate the alleged misconduct of the police who ejected Cameron from the meeting and deprived him of his right to liberty and bodily integrity.

“Finally, I will lodge a criminal complaint against Bheki Cele and the SAPS members who physically accosted me,” Cameron said.

Action Society said it will continue to advocate and fight for the thousands of South Africans who are victims of Cele’s alleged failures as minister of police.

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