Cape Town – One of the members of Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s security detail involved in the N1 highway attack, Shadrack Molekatlane Kojoana, reportedly testified in court on Monday and said that the incident should not be described as an assault.
Kojoana and seven of his colleagues, who were part of the Presidential Protection Services (PPS), were caught on video allegedly assaulting people on the N1 highway.
According to Kojoana’s testimony during his bail application, they were transporting Mashatile when they received a radio message instructing them to check a blue Volkswagen Polo, News24 reported.
He said that the Polo was driving at high speed and allegedly posed a threat to the Deputy President’s convoy.
They attempted to push the Polo away, but it continued to approach their vehicles.
After finally stopping the Polo, the PPS members got out of their vehicles and asked the occupants to exit. Kojoana said they identified themselves as Presidential Protection Services members, and a woman passenger voluntarily opened the door to the vehicle. Kojoana admitted to being the one who pulled a male occupant out of the car.
[WATCH] Here are the eight SAPS VIP Presidential Protection Services officers who were caught on film assaulting civilians on the N1 Johannesburg Highway earlier this month. TCG pic.twitter.com/7d1jANo4sr
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) July 24, 2023
“I am the one who removed one of the occupants from the vehicle. I did not drag him; I pulled him out and instructed him to lie down,” the report quoted Kojoana as saying.
However, despite the video evidence, Kojoana denied that an assault had taken place, claiming they were only trying to control the situation and assess the threat.
According to IOL, prosecutor Elize Le Roux told the court that the eight accused acted in unison. She said the violent manner in which the accused conducted themselves merited them being kept in police custody.
Le Roux said the State had opposed bail and told the court that two women, one who recorded the incident on her cellphone, and the driver of the VW Polo which was carrying the three assaulted off-duty SANDF members,were living in fear.
The court heard how the VW Polo had incurred damages of nearly R95 000 after the eight accused allegedly damaged it during the heated incident.
The case has been postponed to a later date for further proceedings.
The charges against the accused PPS members include pointing a firearm, reckless and negligent driving, malicious damage to property, assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm, obstruction of justice, and assault by way of threat.
The 8 suspects from the SAPS VIP protection that were seen beating a motorist appear in the dock of the Randburg Regional court, 24 July 2023. #VIPprotection @TheCitizen_News pic.twitter.com/nXsBIjLkLL
— Neil McCartney (@NeilMcCartney) July 24, 2023
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
