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Police Minister Bheki Cele conducting a raid at Black Door nightclub. Picture: Twitter
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has come out guns blazing in a statement lambasting police minister Bheki Cele’s orders that South Africans should be in bed by 9pm on New Year’s Eve.
The party is not alone.
Mzansi has reacted antagonistically towards Cele’s recommendations, fuelled further by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement on Monday that this year’s NYE celebration will be a sober affair.
They literally unbanned alcohol and Bheki Cele disappeared into thin air.
Alcohol banned again and he’s suddenly the most visible minister on earth ????
— S. (@SollyHlaka) December 30, 2020
Minister Bheki Cele is treating this like it’s a punishment, so discouraging
— Nicolette Mashile (@ImcocoMash) December 31, 2020
Bheki Cele’s hatred for alcohol and black people is too personal ????????#NewYearsEve
— Hermaine M (@HermaineM) December 31, 2020
No more fireworks or bubbly to usher in hope of a better new year; South Africans have found it hard to accept the idea of sipping on grape juice and lighting a candle instead.
The EFF supported Ramaphosa’s suggestion to light a candle for those who have lost their lives due to Covid-19, but berated Cele for “contradicting the President with his unfounded and stupid regulations.”
“We are all expected to be home by 9pm and so the police must not harass South Africans because of the misguided imbecile of a minister who clearly suffers from verbal diarrhoea,” they said.
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EFF Statement On The Utterances Made By Bheki Cele pic.twitter.com/pQPFIp7UF5
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) December 31, 2020
The party contributed R15 million to the Solidarity Fund in fighting Covid-19, and said it “remains sympathetic to all infected, affected, and families of those who lost their lives”.
But they have had it with “this clown called Bheki Cele”, who they go on to accuse of being “an anti-black minister who is only good at using violent language when he talks to blacks and very romantic when he talks to whites.”
The party also doubted the sincerity of Cele’s efforts to curb corruption, cash-in-transit robberies and gender-based violence, saying in dealing with these challenges, Cele is “nowhere to be found”.
I remember how black Twitter wanted Bheki Cele back hoping he will solve Senzo Meyiwa’s case. Now we have an arrogant minister whose concern is only alcohol. pic.twitter.com/u62hfWitME
— Buhle (@Mabongilesi) December 31, 2020
Bheki Cele is nowhere to be seen when people are being murdered, raped, hijacked etc. But when it comes to alcohol NUMBER 1, things that DON’T NEED HIM HE IS THERE ! I am sure tomorrow he’ll be with police walking around making sure we’re in bed !
— Lesedi Kobi ????????; (@_LesediKobi) December 30, 2020
The EFF encouraged black South Africans not to listen to Cele “until he deals decisively with the above-mentioned.”
“We are not in a police state and Bheki Cele must not behave like he is the absolute arbiter.
“He can tell his kids when to sleep at 9pm, not us.”
The party concluded their scathing statement by treating the new year with “vigour and determination”, and that even in the face of death, “we should always appreciate life.”
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