Suspended police chief Bheki Cele fired
Suspended South African police commissioner, General Bheki Cele.
Various sources say suspended police chief Bheki Cele has been fired. Presidential-appointed board of inquiry recommended his dismissal.
Bheki Cele this week became the second consecutive police chief to have been fired by President Jacob Zuma, City Press reported on Wednesday afternoon.
He has been on suspension since last year, following Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's findings that Cele acted unlawfully in the acquisition of police lease space in a deal that was worth R1.7 billion.
Reports last week indicated that Cele has reportedly written to President Zuma asking to be reinstated. Cele reportedly argued that the board relied too heavily on the evidence given against him and disregarded those who testified for him. He reportedly submitted that there's no evidence that his relationship with property tycoon Roux Shabangu is questionable.
His spokesperson Vuyo Mkhize has declined to comment. The board investigated allegations of misconduct relating to two leases for new Police Headquarters in Pretoria and Durban. It has recommended that Cele be fired and that a criminal investigation be started into the irregular awarding of the leases, which were worth one-point-seven-billion-rand.
At the same time, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has said Cele should accept the findings of a board of inquiry recommending his dismissal. Cele has said he was considering going to court to ask it to review the report.
