Newly-appointed Police Minister Bheki Cele was on Friday formally welcomed back to the South African Police Service (SAPS) fold with a prestigious parade hosted by national police commissioner, General Khehla Sitole in Pretoria.

Addressing a large crowd of senior police officers and other dignitaries, Cele said whoever starts violence in South Africa will receive it too.

“We are not at war with the community of South Africa, and we shall never be at war with the community of South Africa. But I want to say, whoever declares war against us, uzoyithola [will get it],” said an emphatic Cele.

“Whoever declares war against us, against innocent communities, against women, against children, against the elderly, uzoyithola impi [will get the war]. You want war, you get war. You want peace, you get peace.”

Cele said his charges, the SAPS, will always come out victorious from the “war” with criminals.

“If you decide to engage in the war with us, I can assure you there will be one side that will survive, and that side is us. That side is us. We shall refuse to fall and kneel in front of criminals.”

The former police commissioner had further messages for criminals, saying: “Stay away from those cash heists, stay away from those malls, stay away from intimidating people in their houses, those house robberies, those bank robberies, those assaults of women and children - stay away from that. If you are doing that, you are not just inviting us but you are inviting our anger against you. Please don’t start us.”

Cele was appointed police minister by new South African President Cyril Ramaphosa - replacing Fikile Mbalula during a Cabinet reshuffle recently.

In June 2012, former President Jacob Zuma fired Cele from the post of national police commissioner, replacing him with Riah Phiyega.

On Friday, Sitole welcomed Cele back to the SAPS fold, saying morale amongst police officers has been boosted by his return.

“Today marks a new chapter in the history of the SAPS and I embrace the distinct privilege to be part of this significant occasion as we forge ahead with a new path to the future and in the fight against crime. The morale of the SAPS has been boosted by the appointment of Minister Cele as we are familiar with the energy with which he executes his tasks and have experienced the passion he has for policing,” said Sitole.

“It is a contagious energy which urges one to go beyond the call of duty without hesitation. As he has worn the uniform, he intimately understands the challenges ahead and how best to face them.”

Sitole charged police officers to embrace the “new dawn” signified by the era of Ramaphosa in South Africa.

“To paraphrase our newly elected President, His Excellency Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, the new dawn is upon us. We are obligated to embrace the call for a new partnership to build a desired nation and country, in which all may be free, secure and equal. Chosen men and women in our country have to give expression and meaning to the words of the president, they have been entrusted with the mammoth task of breathing life into the expression of this new dawn, and one of those men is indeed our new minister of police,” he said.