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In a gripping session before the EFF inquiry, Deputy Secretary-General Leigh-Ann Mathys and Commander-in-Chief Julius Malema confronted former Minister of Police Bheki Cele. Cele admitted that the South African Police Service (SAPS) and other justice institutions were deliberately weakened during Jacob Zuma’s presidency. He confirmed that this decline extended across the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and State Security Agency (SSA).
The revelations have reignited national debate about state capture, accountability, and the politicization of policing in South Africa.
Institutional Weakening
Under Mathys’ questioning, Cele admitted SAPS’s deterioration “was deliberate.” He said the decline made it easier for powerful figures to act without accountability. When asked whose interests the weakening served, Cele compared it to “taking the teeth out of the bulldog,” implying political figures sought to neutralize police power.
Mathys pressed:
“Zuma was the president during that time. Was SAPS deliberately weakened to protect political interests? Who benefited from dismantling South Africa’s crime-fighting institutions?”
Cele confirmed that the erosion extended beyond SAPS, affecting the wider justice system.
Controversial Informant Ties
The inquiry then turned to Cele’s relationship with Cat Matlala, a corrupt informant allegedly involved in tender manipulation. Malema asked why Cele maintained contact despite knowing Matlala’s background.
Cele explained:
“I knew Cat was not clean, but sometimes you need to keep such people close to understand what they’re planning. My intention was to get information, not to protect him.”
Malema pressed whether Cele instructed Matlala to warn Khumalo about potentially damaging information and whether Cele personally met him afterward. Cele insisted his goal was to prevent false information from causing political conflict, not to shield anyone.
“The aim was not to shield anyone. It was to make sure no one used that information to destabilize the movement or create division.”
Public Reaction
Cele’s testimony drew strong public responses. Jackson Mawawate Simango said:
“Exactly what I wanted to say why do they always keep mapantiti and have lunch or dinner with them instead of arresting them?”
Somnandi SejaBana SokaLeydudla Mbanyana added:
“The CIC protected Ndosi because he’s been running from this question for too long. Why were you so comfortable with a stranger giving you such crucial information? Didn’t it cross your mind to investigate who he is?”
These comments reveal public frustration over blurred lines between politics, intelligence, and law enforcement.
The EFF inquiry has reopened debates about state capture, corruption, and institutional decay under Zuma. Cele’s admissions, coupled with Mathys and Malema’s probing, suggest that South Africa’s justice system was deliberately weakened for political gain. The public continues to demand accountability and the restoration of trust in law enforcement.
