WATCH | Inside Cele and Breytenbach’s fierce Thabo Bester showdown

A heated showdown between police minister Bheki Cele and DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach over escaped convict Thabo Bester had many rushing for the popcorn.

Police officials appeared before parliament's justice and correctional services portfolio committee on Thursday to present and face questions from MPs on the escape of “Facebook rapist” and murderer Thabo Bester in May last year.

The committee heard how the police were aware of Bester's escape for several months before the news broke and blamed their inaction in investigating Bester and his alleged accomplices on his “uncooperative” mother, investigation procedure and not wanting to jeopardise a larger case by moving too soon.  

They did concede they could have alerted Bester's past victims earlier of his escape.

The police were accused of not doing enough to protect South Africans, with Breytenbach joining in the grilling.

Her direct and abrupt questioning and commentary sparked a clash with Cele.

Breytenbach started her questioning by asking how Free State police commissioner Lt-Gen Baile Motswenyane struggled to get assistance in her investigation from private security group G4S that ran the prison from which Bester escaped.

Once explained, she asked why a private jet was used to bring Bester and his accomplices back from Tanzania, where they were arrested last week. 

Police commissioner Lt-Gen Fannie Masemola gave an explanation before Cele stepped in, saying: “Chairperson, simply put, it was part of the negotiations with the officials on the other side that it would be their pleasure if it's done the way it was done, so we had to respect those negotiations with them.”

Breytenbach challenged this, asking if Cele was saying Tanzanian officials wanted to fly to South Africa in a private jet.

“It's a yes or no answer,” she added.

Cele hit back, saying: “I am not going to answer that way. You can tell others to answer yes or no.”

He explained that the use of a private jet was on the advice of the negotiation team handling the return of Bester.

The pair again clashed when Breytenbach commented on the inaction by police in the investigations, calling Cele out for using the phrase Catch-22 “sometimes appropriately and sometimes conveniently” when explaining why police did not alert the public to Bester's escape earlier.

“We are not making news, we are investigating. It is important then, now and forever that we say police investigate and put those people out of circulation. You go get that person you have been tracking,” he said, adding that it was the reason Bester and his accomplices were now in custody in South Africa.

Breytenbach responded by addressing two points at the minister.

“Please, don't lecture me about the police. I know what they do. I know what they don't do. I did it for years. You can teach me nothing about police investigations, with due respect.

“Secondly, it is an absolute disgrace that the victims of this man were not warned, prepared and protected. You should hang your head in shame, all of you. It is no way to treat people.

“If, while you were so busy protecting the secrecy of your investigation, Bester had murdered another woman, if he had raped another woman, what would you have said then?” 

Cele responded: “Well, I am not a speculator. It has not happened.”

“Second, I know that you are a prosecutor — a vintage one for that matter. Don't tell me about investigating and the police. You only dealt with that after a matter was investigated. Prosecution, yes, but investigation no — not for you.”

Social media was flooded with reaction to the heated exchange, with many slamming the minister and calling his utterances “disgusting”.

Here is a look at what some had to say: