Johannesburg - The violent behaviour of SAPS officers attached to Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s security detail has been condemned by politicians, police management and society at large.
The victims have been traced and the officers have been identified.
Four officers have received notifications to suspend, according to the SAPS.
Mashatile was not in the convoy when a group of heavily armed officers allegedly assaulted a motorist and two passengers on the N1 highway in Fourways, north of Johannesburg, over the weekend.
The incident was caught on camera by a motorist and has gone viral on social media platforms.
It shows SAPS officers allegedly brutally assaulting civilians, one of whom is seen lying on the ground, almost lifeless.
Mashatile, through his media team, confirmed yesterday that it was his VIP unit that was involved in the barbaric assault.
Mashatile’s spokesperson, Vukani Mde, said his principal was not in the convoy. Mde said Mashatile abhorred any unnecessary use of force, particularly against unarmed civilians.
The national commissioner of the SAPS, General Fannie Masemola, has promised a thorough investigation of the incident and articulated the conduct expected of police officers.
“Members of the SAPS are meant to uphold and protect the fundamental rights of every person and to exercise the powers conferred upon them in a responsible and controlled manner,” said Masemola.
Mashatile said yesterday that they don’t condone the behaviour of people beating anyone up.
“We condemn that, and we support the commissioner of police (taking steps) to investigate and make sure that whoever is responsible is brought to book.”
He also said this incident might be the tip of the iceberg, stating that there might be a number of incidents of assaults on civilians, but they are never captured on camera, unlike this incident.
Police watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), confirmed it was investigating the assault.
“Ipid investigators have already been in contact with the family members of the victims so that they could be assisted in laying charges. Engagements are under way to also get the victims’ employers to assist with the investigations. Ipid has already engaged SAPS,” said Ipid national spokesperson Robbie Raburabu.
DA leader John Steenhuisen said this was an abuse of power.
“I express my condemnation of the violent attack on motorists by members of the ANC’s VIP protection unit. Many of us have seen the video showing a gang of heavily armed men assaulting helpless citizens.
“What we see in that video represents exactly what the ANC really thinks of the people of South Africa. All the citizens are the ones down on the ground, and the ANC are the thugs masquerading as a government stomping on our necks,” Steenhuisen said.
Senior training co-ordinator on terrorism and explosives, Willem Els, said it was shocking to see how these police officers, who are serving the public, become protectors of the VIPs. He said over the past few years, since 2009, there have been at least 10 incidents where people have died, been assaulted, had accidents, or been pushed off the road.
“There is a serious management challenge that we have within the VIP unit, especially with the specialised training that is selected and the rigorous training they undergo.
“They are being trained on how to deal with the public and how to deal with tight situations where the principals are in danger and how to take them out. But none of that includes the use of power and excessive force against the public, as transpired in this situation.
“What we can also gather from this video is that the principal was not there. These people were travelling without actively protecting the principal, and in doing so they exceeded their powers by assaulting the driver, who we assume did not move out of the way,” said Els.
The Star