Veteran Police Monitor Prof Mary de Haas Accuses South Africa's Police Minister Cele of Endangering Her Life

Renowned police and violence monitor Professor Mary de Haas, in a stern letter to Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Police and the Speaker, has accused Police Minister Bheki Cele of jeopardizing her safety through inflammatory rhetoric and connections with the notorious taxi mafia in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), a region infamous for its hitmen activities.

Professor de Haas, with over three decades of experience in monitoring policing, emphasized her history of supporting ethical police work and her efforts to secure legal aid for wrongfully charged officers. Despite a lack of funding in recent years for her own work and legal services, she remained steadfast in her role as a civilian overseer.

Her interactions with police have been part of an ongoing effort to prevent crime and assist victims of police violence in seeking justice, an endeavor made increasingly challenging in the current climate of what she terms State Capture. Reports of police brutality and corruption, De Haas contends, find little redress or investigation, pointing at a systemic rot within police accountability mechanisms, including IPID and SAPS management.

De Haas's fidelity to the constitutional mandate for transparency and accountability appears to have placed her at odds with Minister Cele. She alleges that the Minister has instigated police members against her, aggravating her vulnerability given her unpopularity with the government. Her concerns extend to scenarios of intercepted communications and monitored movements, a state of affairs reminiscent of her experiences from the 1990s when she faced similar threats.

The letter describes a grim portrait of SAPS Crime Intelligence, which according to de Haas, veers under political manipulation rather than serving the public’s interest. She singles out Minister Cele's history as a dismissed police commissioner, suggesting that his current conduct remains unchecked by Parliamentary and presidential authorities despite alleged unconstitutional and illegal actions.

Furthermore, the letter narrates the plight of other anti-corruption fighters, including Patricia Mashale and Thabiso Zulu, who find themselves in life-threatening positions due to their stands against corruption.

Minister Cele's past involvement with apartheid-era police and agents, some implicated in assassination and conspiracy against anti-corruption figures, was particularly stressed by De Haas, painting a clear and present danger associated with the Minister's influence over current police members.

Enshrined within her communication is the hope that Parliament will not only take her testimony to heart but also move to hold Minister Cele accountable for his purported actions and the potential harm they pose to her and other activists.

The gravity of these allegations by such an esteemed and longstanding advocate of police reform captivates attention, as it suggests the extent of political interference with law enforcement in South Africa, and the perils faced by those who challenge the status quo.

BizNews requested comments from the Police Portfolio Committee and Cele’s office, awaiting responses that may shed further light on Prof De Haas's startling claims. Her attachment,"AN OVERVIEW OF MATTERS I HAVE ASKED THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE TO HOLD THE MINISTER ACCOUNTABLE FOR 2018-2023," serves as a substantive account of her grievances and requests for oversight.