Minister Cele slammed for 'fighting alcohol and not crime' after nightclub bust

Bheki Cele has been dubbed the "Minister of Alcohol" by Twitter users who are not impressed with his apparent focus on booze-related offences.

This comes after the police minister, alongside members of the SAPS and JMPD, busted a nightclub in Sandton in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Videos of the raid have been widely shared by government officials on social media. However, some Twitter users have called the operation a publicity stunt.

Police Minister Bheki Cele explains why the #BlackDoor nightclub in Sandton was raided by @SAPoliceService in the early hours of Sunday morning. The owner of the club will be charged with contravention of the Disaster Management Act. pic.twitter.com/WQafjYOYCI
— Lirandzu Themba (@LirandzuThemba) October 24, 2020

A number of Twitter users have accused Minister Cele of "obsessing" over alcohol and alcohol-related crimes.

They claim Cele does not devote the same amount of energy, effort, or attention to crimes such as gender-based violence (GBV), human trafficking, drugs, and murder.

"Bheki Cele will go all out guns blazing against alcohol, but when it comes to human trafficking and GBV he is nowhere to be seen", one Twitter user has said.

The minister has always been vocal about his disdain for booze. During an interview earlier this year, Cele said he wished that alcohol sales could be shut down even after the lockdown.

Cele's name has been trending on Twitter alongside the terms "SAPS" and "Minister of Alcohol" on Sunday.

Below are some of the tweets made on the platform:

Imagine you hear sirens and you think the DJ is lining up Mrs Officer but it’s actually Bheki Cele outside 😭
— ling (@NalediSekoto) October 24, 2020

On the matter of restricting movement, we can agree. But Bheki Cele is not some cop dedicated to a special unit in SAPS. He is the minister of Police in South Ah, we want to see him address all crimes not just lockdown regulations. https://t.co/fxZ2lRslSf
— Noxolo Madonsela (@Noxxcee) October 25, 2020

Bheki Cele gets mad gully when it's about alcohol, he even stays up late. He's like Batman, all the power to make real change but he crawls around in dark alleys fighting petty criminals and mentally challenged people
— Nice an Easy (@KeKatli) October 25, 2020

I'm worried about Bheki Cele's priorities as a police minister.
— Shumi Ley’nkezo Ngubane. (@Maqhawe_Ngubane) October 25, 2020

Meanwhile here is a short list of more important crimes to deal with than this nonsense PR exercise
GBV
Human Trafficking
Drug Trafficking
Murder
Drunk Drivers https://t.co/7uJv59ymJW
— Melanie Gia Ramjee (@Hypress) October 25, 2020

The only thing Bheki Cele has done thus far is closing alcohol. He’s failing to deal with GBV, Human Trafficking, Drug lords
— Man’s NOT Barry Roux (@AdvoBarryRoux) October 25, 2020

A well known building in Hillbrow (Nugget street) has always been known to have drug dealers. It has never been raided.

Can't tell me the police don't know about it because their Vans always park there and drive off 5 mins later. Bheki Cele is fighting the wrong crime. https://t.co/jEX6vjTrUb
— Bongani (@Bongs_Mdu) October 25, 2020

Bheki Cele will go all out guns blazing against alcohol, but when it comes to human trafficking and GBV he is nowhere to be seen. People are losing their kids each and every day. Human trafficking is real.#StopHumanTrafficking #StopGBV
— Phume (@phume22) October 21, 2020

You’re fighting people, not crime. Taking on the weakest mission and making noise about that is honestly just a display of how much the ANC wastes our time.

Bheki Cele called human trafficking a publicity stunt, and kidnappings a couples tiff, to run from addressing it. Ni weak!
— ez’ntswembu ke 🔥 (@yayahCreative) October 25, 2020