Former Police Minister Bheki Cele has spoken about being a victim of crime after leaving office and how he has been followed by strange cars.

Cele also opened up about life without bodyguards and blue light-fitted cars.

He was speaking on Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh’s podcast, where he touched on several matters, including the arrest of former President Jacob Zuma in 2021, crime in the country, and how they managed to convince the world that it was safe to host the 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa.

On the issue of crime at his Durban home, Cele said a group of criminals jumped into his high-walled home and stole some items, which were swiftly recovered by a private security company patrolling the suburb where he lives. He explained that because they had to store some of their belongings in a garage after relocating from his ministerial homes in Cape Town and Pretoria, the criminals took advantage of the situation.

“One of them (his sons) came to knock and said there is somebody walking in the yard, one the premises, as I peeped through the window I saw somebody jumping the fence. I phoned [Nhlanhla] Mkhwanazi fortunately he send the people from the nearest police station, Durban north police station and then I heard some gunfire, two shots down the road… It looks like there was a private security there encountered these guys what he was carrying. They took that to the police station and I had to go there to reclaim because it was quite big chunk of clothes that he has taken (sic),” he said.

On being followed, he said his previous training as a guerrilla helped him spot the cars and keep moving.

“Later I realised that I was followed, so it was easy because I am trained as a guerilla, I am trained as a military combat work.. you can just see that this one is not driving with me, he is driving me. So, that’s the danger, I reported that to the police and all that. I see it has gone down a little bit, but for whatever reason, that it has to happen.”

Despite losing blue light-fitted cars, Cele said he always drove himself whenever he was in Durban, even while serving as Police Minister, and never felt unsafe. He added that one thing he misses is being dropped at a mall instead of having to circle around looking for parking.

“You know it’s full (the parking) and you are late,” he said and laughed.