Police Minister Bheki Cele says he will be gracefully stepping down as the Minister of Police and dedicate more of his time to his family. This follows after Cele fails to secure a spot on the ANC's Parliamentary list. Cele was appointed Minister of Police in 2018, before then, he had served as a National Police Commissioner from 2010 to 2011, until his suspension due to misconduct allegations of "unlawful" police lease agreements.

NOT ON PARLIAMENTARY LIST

Cele addressed inquiries from the media regarding his plans after missing the handover of forensic vehicles at Rugby Field in Pretoria on Friday. "As a human being, one must accept that every beginning has an end. The end has now come. I left my home to come and work here, so if there is no work here anymore, I will return home, reflect, and consider my next steps. In life, there are various paths to follow, one cannot dwell on the past, question others, and act surprised when the time comes. I can only express my gratitude, grace, and appreciation to the people of South Africa and my party, the African National Congress. I never imagined that one day I would become the police minister, from my days in exile to my time in prison," he stated.

GO HOME

Cele emphasised that any Minister who is not included in the list must go home and maintain a low profile. "When the time comes, pack your bags and leave. Return home and stay quiet, do not act as if you were guaranteed to be a Minister for life," he remarked. Several cabinet members were excluded from the National Assembly after the publication of a candidates list by the Electoral Commission of South Africa. Among them are Lindiwe Zulu, Thulas Nxesi, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Noxolo Kiviet, Thandi Modise, and Naledi Pandor, whose names do not appear on the National Assembly candidate list following the elections on 29 May.