Bheki Cele has replaced Fikile Mbalula as the Minister of Police.
Cele, who was popular among the masses during his tenure as the national police chief, was previously Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Cele served as the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service from 2009 until he was suspended from the position, pending investigation, in October 2011.
The Public Protector had found that he had acted improperly and was guilty of maladministration in connection with a controversial lease deal for police headquarters in Pretoria.
There have been calls from South Africans on social media for him to be returned to the portfolio for what many lauded as his zero-tolerance approach towards criminals.
Cele was born on 22 April 1952. He has many credentials under his name having served as a member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress and formerly served as MEC for Transport, Community Safety Liaison in KwaZulu-Natal.
He served as a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature and a Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council. Moreover, he was a Founding Member of National Education Union of South Africa. - SAnews.gov.za
