Western Cape govt slams ‘obsessed’ Cele over decision to patrol beaches

Police Minister Bheki Cele’s Covid-19 beach blitzes are annoying Western Cape Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz, who regards them as “power trips” that could be diverting resources from areas with violent crime.

Fritz said he agreed that all regulations must be enforced, unless struck down by a court, but thought Cele was “obsessed” with beaches.

“Minister Bheki Cele has been on a power trip across the Western Cape this week, demonstrating a single-minded obsession with beaches,” said Fritz in a statement.

“… however, it is increasingly clear from his ‘media tour’ in the Western Cape that the national minister is significantly more passionate about arresting surfers, than arresting gang leaders in the Cape Flats and other communities across South Africa.”

Fritz said that even the SA National Defence Force’s officers were expected to be deployed to Garden Route beaches. He said:”I am concerned that minister Cele’s media visit might be redirecting already planned and important law enforcement activities in vulnerable communities, that experience high levels of violent crime.”

Fritz said the regulations were important, but that Cele should broaden his focus from beaches to the violent crime in many communities. Fritz intended raising the matter directly with Cele.

Fritz, a DA deployee, and Cele from the ANC, had been at odds for a long time over the Western Cape government’s call for more police officers.

Recently, Cele told a production crew on Camps Bay beach to pack up, causing a tense verbal volley between himself and the City of Cape Town’s Community Safety MMC JP Smith.

The company was eventually allowed to continue filming, but not before a number of production companies pulled the plug on planned shoots to avoid losing money in case they too were shut down.

The Level 3 regulations state that people must stay off the beaches, unless they had a fishing licence, or another permit to be there.

This was a blow to seaside towns and cities where beachfront businesses and vendors rely on the high season to build a nest egg for the lean months. The regulations state that a warning must be issued, and if the person did not heed it, they could be arrested, and imprisoned and/or fined.

Beaches were deserted over the busy Christmas and New Year holiday, bar a few isolated incidents.

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