Cape Town – One of the victims assaulted by the South African police’s VIP unit on the N1 highway in Johannesburg over the weekend, reportedly experienced severe pain and trauma after the incident.
A video of the incident shows a group of armed men who were travelling in a convoy, assaulting the occupants of a VW 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.
I will do everything in my power to ensure that these Blue Light Bullies are brought to book. I have already engaged the Executive Director of IPID and will be demanding that Minister Cele ensure SAPS arrest these thugs within 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/n1PaOAXcin
— Andrew Whitfield, MP (@andrewhitfield) July 3, 2023
According to Times Live, The VW Polo driver, who was seen being dragged out of a vehicle and viciously assaulted by members of the police’s VIP unit, thought he was being hijacked.
Civil rights organisation Action Society, investigating the case on behalf of the victims, said that the assault occurred when one of the victims mistook the officers for hijackers, News24 reported.
“He first thought that they [VIP protection unit] were hijackers because they pointed what seemed to be a rifle at him.
“He then thought it was a hijacking and started to increase his speed.
“One of the motorcade vehicles then drove in front of the victims’ vehicle, and another BMW X5 vehicle drove on the right-hand side of their vehicle.
“They then rammed them off the road and forced them to stop next to the road,” the report quoted Action Society’s Ian Cameron as saying.
The officers attempted to break the driver’s window with an assault rifle and eventually gained access to the vehicle by smashing a back-side window.
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They struck the victim on the back of his head with the rifle, causing injuries.
The victims, who are colleagues in the South African National Defence Force, are severely traumatised, Cameron said.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) confirmed that cases containing three charges were opened on Tuesday against the members of the police’s VIP unit who assaulted motorists in Gauteng at the weekend.
Ipid spokesperson Robbie Raburabu said three charges to be investigated were assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm, malicious damage to property, and pointing of a firearm.
The case was opened on Tuesday night, Raburabu said.
Earlier, reports said that four members of the VIP protection unit had been suspended following a viral video showing them allegedly assaulting three unarmed men, according to police confirmation.
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Picture: Twitter/@IanCameron23
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
