Bheki Cele to be investigated

President Jacob Zuma has finally axed Public Works Minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde and suspended national police commissioner General Bheki Cele.

Zuma has been under tremendous pressure to act against the two since Public Protector Thuli Madonsela found that they had acted improperly and unlawfully when they tried to lease - at massively inflated rentals - buildings from politically connected property mogul Roux Shabangu.

Zuma made the announcement yesterday at the Union Buildings, in Pretoria, where he also announced that retired Constitutional Court judge and chairman of the SA Law Reform Commission Yvonne Mokgoro will head an inquiry into Cele and the allegations that he acted improperly in the lease scandal.

The buildings Cele and Mahlangu-Nkabinde intended to rent from Shabangu for R1.78-billion were to have accommodated the police's national headquarters at Wachthuis in Pretoria and KwaZulu-Natal headquarters in Pietermaritzburg.

Madonsela found that the leasing deals were illegal and invalid and she urged Zuma to act against Cele and Mahlangu-Nkabinde.

Cele's 2009 appointment as police boss sparked controversy, with opposition parties saying he lacked the skills for the job.

Controversy followed him to Wachthuis, where he raised eyebrows by saying, among other things, that the police must "shoot to kill".

Two years down the line, he is being suspended - on full pay.

Cele's position is equivalent to that of a director-general. Directors-general earn packages of between R1-million and R1.5-million a year.

Cele will be replaced with immediate effect by the relatively unknown Major General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi as acting national police commissioner.

The appointment of Mkhwanazi has been criticised by some senior police officials.

Mkhwanazi, 39, who was promoted from brigadier to his current rank only in May, is said to be ill-experienced to occupy the hot seat.

Sources in the police service said 20 lieutenant-generals with more experience were overlooked.

With barely six months as a major general, Mkhwanazi jumps two ranks - lieutenant-general and general - by becoming acting police chief.

Last night, Cele's office said he respected Zuma's decision to suspend him.

"He is extremely confident that he will emerge complete ly vindicated from the forthcoming inquiry," the office said.

Opposition parties and unions welcomed Zuma's move.

Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said while no time frame has been set for the commission to complete its inquiry, it will be done expeditiously as "it is a serious inquiry".

Cosatu spokesman Patrick Craven congratulated Zuma on his "firm action" and said the union federation hoped "this announcement marks a turning point in the fight against maladministration and corruption".

"From now on there must be a policy of zero-tolerance to the looting of public resources by anyone, in the public or private sector, no matter how senior their position," he said.

The ANC said it was satisfied with the action against Cele and Mahlangu-Nkabinde and supported the appointment of a board of inquiry into Cele.

The board will also include advocates Terry Motau SC and Anthea Platt.