Murder cases down by 72% – Cele reveals lockdown stats
Mosque arrests, apology
Addressing another matter on Wednesday, he said he did not apologise for arresting Muslims at a mosque in Mpumalanga during the lockdown, but only apologised for the blasphemy by the police officers.
Over the weekend, a video circulated on social media in which police officers are seen entering what appears to be a mosque, seemingly hurling verbal abuse at congregants who are ordered to lie on the floor.
WATCH | Worshippers arrested at Mpumalanga mosque
“Are you bigger than the president? Is Mohammed bigger than the president?” a man asks the congregants in the video.
On Sunday, Cele issued an apology to the Muslim community for blasphemous remarks made during the arrest.
He made it clear he only apologised for the blasphemy, not for the arrest, as the worshippers had broken the law.
Cele said the police “went to the crime scene, not the mosque”.