Cape Town – Four members of the VIP protection unit have been suspended following a viral video showing them allegedly assaulting three unarmed men, according to police confirmation.
The incident involved more than six members of the VIP protection unit assigned to deputy president Paul Mashatile.
The victims’ vehicle was boxed in by several SUVs on the N1 highway, and the assailants attempted to smash the windscreen before assaulting the occupants, Times Live reported.
One of the victims appeared to be rendered unconscious during the attack.
Police have identified the officers involved and have initiated internal processes.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe initially mentioned that the officers involved would face “internal processes.” However, on Wednesday morning, it was revealed that four of them had received suspension notices, the report said.
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“In terms of the disciplinary regulations they have been served with notices of the employer’s intention to suspend. They must provide representations why they should not be suspended under the circumstances.
“Representation will be considered and the outcome will be communicated to them,” the report quoted Mathe as saying.
The remaining four officers’ statuses have not been disclosed.
The victims shared their account of the incident with the South African National Defence Union (Sandu).
A video, which went viral on social media, showed a group of armed men who were travelling in a convoy, assaulting the occupants of a blue Polo.
The officers then return to their vehicles and drive away, leaving the driver motionless on the ground.
A woman filming the incident expresses concern for the victims’ safety.
These are apparently VIP protection cops…happened in JHB. pic.twitter.com/fgSNNpyK7s
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) July 3, 2023
The implicated officers were part of the security detail assigned to Deputy President Paul Mashatile, who was not present in the convoy during the incident.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the officers alleged that the driver of the targeted vehicle had been tailing Mashatile’s convoy for an extended period before being forced off the road, News24 reported.
They claimed that the motorist attempted to approach Mashatile’s vehicle, which prompted their response, the report said.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
