One of the moments that exposed Bheki Cele as a man whose head is filled with nonsense, extreme arrogance and delusions of grandeur occurred in July 2022.
That he was minister of police at the time made the entire public episode not only embarrassing to himself but to the ANC that trained and deployed him. Cele also embarrassed South Africa and did not care a bit.
“I’m not going to take any nonsense from someone who regards me as a garden boy today. Because you regard me as a garden boy. You come here; shut up, shut up, shut up.”
Cele yelled these words in the most unbecoming manner at an imbizo in Cape Town in his official capacity as minister of police. His outburst was directed at the then crime activist, Ian Cameron, who had disagreed with the minister during the imbizo.
Cele’s anger was unexpected and shocking. Perhaps the anger was a symptom of Cele’s feelings of impotence as minister of police, considering the levels of crime that were out of control during his tenure.
His reference to being seen as a “garden boy” was related to Cameron’s skin colour and an unfortunate lack of confidence in his own capacity as minister.
It was a blatant attempt to divert attention from his ineptitude to focus the crowds on the well-worn ruse that is race-based politics. The tactic might have got some applause from the crowd at the time, but it was an embarrassment to the ANC and the government.
It was also an indication that the man could not see beyond himself or his misdirected feelings, produced by years of self-inflicted propaganda and delusion.
I would have sworn that Cele could never possibly have a public outburst worse than that one. I was wrong.
The latest outburst, which was no longer directed at a white man, or at whiteness at which he is so fond of directing his anger, was delivered at Nathi Mthethwa’s memorial service. He launched into a nostalgic tirade directed at ANC supporters.
He mixed it with the apparent fortunate standing of white corruption which does not get as much media attention as black corruption, as if that matters.
He complained against lack of service delivery and corruption among ANC cadres as if he was never part of it.
South Africans, you are Sodom and Gomorrah; I don’t care, you are heartless and unsympathetic, you are snakes
However, the real outburst was directed at South Africans.
“But I’m telling you, you just sit there and say, these South Africans are mad.
“Pastors, I am asking you, can’t you go up the mountain and tell God to do what he did in Sodom and Gomorrah. I wouldn’t mind for Him to do what he did in Sodom and Gomorrah because you are Sodom and Gomorrah right now.
“South Africans, you are Sodom and Gomorrah; I don’t care, you are heartless and unsympathetic, you are snakes.”
Mixing English and isiZulu, Cele said this without the slightest of irony.
While he was triggered by the less than stellar comments South Africans posted about the late Mthethwa, particularly on social media, his outburst was deeply insulting towards South Africa.
He forgot race-based politics for a while as his anger spewed out over the entire country. Seemingly, he never expected black South Africans to be disgusted by corruption regardless of colour so much that they can feel little grief for Mthethwa.
For me, the most shocking thing was what he wished for South Africans. It is a wish that wipes whatever intentions he had in his earlier years when he got involved in the struggle for liberation.
The man wished for the destruction of South Africans, not just SA, and he expressed this publicly.
For him, the loss of support and empathy from South Africans meant that they were no longer useful nor deserving of life. The utility of South Africa lives is apparently to support him and his comrades.
I suppose it is a good thing that he can do nothing to fulfil his wish, otherwise I shudder to think what he might have done.
Cele decried the lack of ubuntu, which shows a certain level of reverence for the departed and their mourning families.
He forgets that he has been part of the erosion of common decency in our country. He forgets that the corrupt and criminal political class they created and sustained for years has brought suffering that rivals that of apartheid.
Thankfully, South Africans are telling him to shut up!
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