Action Society’s head of community safety, Ian Cameron, today laid charges of crimen injuria and common assault at the Gugulethu Police Station against the Minister of Police Bheki Cele and members of the police who forcibly removed him from a community meeting in Gugulethu on Tuesday.
“I had no choice but to lay these charges,” said Cameron. “Until today, it is still unclear why, and on whose order, the police removed me from the meeting. I was no threat to anyone. I never wanted the meeting to turn into a political fight. Action Society attended the meeting to represent community members affected by crime and neglected by the system.”
Action Society will lodge a complaint with the Public Protector in terms of the Executive Members’ Ethics Bill and its Code of Conduct for Bheki Cele’s disgraceful conduct, failure to act in good faith and compromising the credibility and integrity of his office.
Action Society will also submit a complaint with the Office of the Registrar of Members’ Interests at Parliament for Bheki Cele’s breaches of parliament’s code of conduct in his capacity as a member of the legislator.
A complaint will also be lodged with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) to investigate the misconduct by the members of the SAPS.
