By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider
Former Police Minister Bheki Cele has caused a storm by making allegations against uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) claiming that the party is funded by alleged diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg, during an Ad Hoc Committee hearings,a claim that the MK Party undisputedly deny.
The MK party considered these claims baseless and defamatory from the former Police Minister, as MK Party spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhela, aimed to clear the air on the issue. “As a former Minister of Police, Mr Cele had both the authority and responsibility to act on any such information if it were true,” said Ndhela.
Ndhela emphasised that these claims are nothing more than mere political strategy as Cele has not made any attempt to take action on these claims if they were true.
“The MK party views Mr Cele’s conduct as a desperate attempt to score cheap political favour at the Ad hoc committee, and we strongly denounce his irresponsible and dishonest statements” said Ndhela further. “There is a guy called LL-Louis Liebenberg.
He’s a king of zama zamas. He cleans diamonds and everything. He has millions and millions and he funds the MK party,” said Cele during the ad hoc committee hearings. Cele has also claimed that Liebenberg had funded the party R500,000 in order for the party to handle a private legal matter that MK party was linked to.
“He paid that money, and he has been arrested. He’s in prison as I speak. The MK party has been in court supporting him everyday when he goes to court.” Cele continued to explain in the committee hearings.
Cele has also been questioned by the ad hoc committee over his affiliation with Cat Matlala who is the primary link to criminal infiltration in the justice systems, as Cele was at the helm of Police Minster when the task team was established in 2018.
Mchunu has claimed that he never received any handover notes of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) from Cele at the time of his departure as Police Minister as Mchunu expressed during his questioning in the ad hoc committee hearings.
“Not as I read it. What was there was a reference to committees the Minister was serving on, not necessarily the PKTT in any form,” said Mchunu during the hearing.