Outgoing Police Minister, Bheki Cele has lost an appeal against a damages claim issued by two former ANC representatives.
Thandekile Sabisa, former OR Tambo district municipality deputy mayor and Lawrence Mambila, a former mayoral committee member responsible for technical services, were unlawfully arrested and assaulted after an attempted murder of the speaker of a local municipality occurred.
Sabisa is the ANC’s former regional chairperson and Mambila is the former ANC regional deputy secretary.
Sabisa and Mambila were awarded R400 000 in damages for unlawful arrest and detention, as well as R110 000 for assault, torture and abuse.
Both parties originally wanted R10 million from the minister.
After their victory, Cele took the matter to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in order to overturn the High Court ruling.
However, the SCA has upheld an Eastern Cape High Court ruling, according to News24.
In early June it was reported that Cele will no longer wear the hat of police minister after he failed to make it onto the list of ANC members who will return to Parliament.
Various organisations have welcomed his departure, which comes after years of calls from various quarters that he be dismissed as minister of police.
“It’s time to appoint someone who knows what they’re doing,” said AfriForum’s community safety spokesperson, Jacques Broodryk.
The civil society organisation has repeatedly called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to sack Cele, saying he lacked the skills and temperament for the job and had failed to curb crime.
Cele was previously the MEC for transport, safety and security in KZN. He went on to become the national police commissioner and then the minister of police.
IOL NEWS
Related Topics: