Bheki Cele’s ‘hat too tight’ for his brain – SA responds to minister’s comments about tattoos

Police Minister Bheki Cele assured residents of Orlando East improved police visibility on Monday afternoon, but simultaneously managed to get loads of South Africans across the country riled up with his views of those with body art.

Cele was responding to this weekend’s mass shooting at a tavern in the area, which saw unknown gunmen kill 15 people and wounded eight.

He announced the deployment of a special task team to investigate the murders, as well as the deployment of the Tactical Response Team in the township.

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While promising plenty of additional resources to be deployed in the area, Cele also announced the recruitment of 10 000 additional police officers, who are expected to complete their training by 15 December.

In addition to these, a further recruitment drive for officers was announced, and it was while running through the list of requirements for these new cops that Cele managed to get people hot under the collar.

He said new applicants would be put through a gauntlet of fitness, psychometrics, and medical tests as part of the recruitment process, but those who like their skin with a bit of ink need not apply.

“When you have a tattoo, we don’t hire you because you have a tendency of being a gangster.”

Cele’s comments didn’t go down well with South Africans, and both those with and without tattoos had something to say about his aversion to tattooed cops.

Responses varied from reasonable and measured…

…to visibly upset.

And, as is always the case in South Africa, many decided to laugh through the pain.

And some even pointed out a picture of the minister and his wife Thembeka Ngcobo at the 2019 State of The Nation address, in which it appears Ngcobo has a tattoo on her wrist.

It remains unclear whether Ngcobo has exhibited any gangster tendencies at any point.