Cape Town – The African National Congress (ANC) has responded to criticism against Deputy President Paul Mashatile regarding the actions of his VIP Protection Unit, who assaulted a motorist and passengers.
The ANC said that Mashatile was not responsible for deploying his own protection team, as it fell under the jurisdiction of the South African Police Service (SAPS).
A video showing Mashatile’s protectors assaulting individuals on the N1 highway in Johannesburg went viral on social media.
The ANC condemned the officers’ actions and called for severe punishment.
The party’s secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, said that Mashatile should not be held accountable for the incident.
[WATCH] ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula says the assault of civilians by Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s security detail puts a serious blight on the police service as a whole. He calls on IPID to thoroughly investigate the matter.#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/wBKRky2tw0
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) July 5, 2023
“The ANC condemns in very strongest terms these acts of violence. We want to call on Ipid under the leadership of Ndosi, to ensure that this matter is investigated,” said Mbalula.
He added: “It is easy point-scoring to apportion blame on the deputy president, who doesn’t carry out his own protection. But people are employed to protect him.”
Mbalula called for an investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) and for appropriate action against the VIP protection officers.
He also suggested assessing whether Mashatile’s life was in danger during the incident.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: Twitter/@AfricanSoil
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
