Shocking footage went viral last week showing three men being violently assaulted on the side of the N1 highway in Johannesburg by members of the SAPS VIP Protection Unit attached to Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s security detail.
JOHANNESBURG - A lawyer representing the victims of the N1 assault said that he'd had a run-in with the SAPS VIP Unit himself and that it should be disbanded.
A criminal case is now under investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate and eight members of the unit have also been issued with suspension notices.• N1 assault: 8 SAPS VIP protectors temporarily removed from posts - Masemola• ANC calls for harsh action against police VIP Protection Unit over N1 assaultEyewitness News spoke to well-known lawyer Ulrich Roux, who is representing two of the men in the video pro-bono.
Roux also highlighted that this unit received a R1.9 billion budget this year, money he said could be spent equipping hospitals and schools. "I’ve also been subject to an incident with these units and also been pushed off the road, so I feel very strongly about it, that we must try to disband this VIP Protection Unit and that leadership should take a stand and say it’s actually not necessary for a so-called important person to be conveyed with four or five expensive big vehicles and the people inside the vehicles just have no regard for our laws and no regard for innocent citizens in South Africa.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Inside EWN Roundtable: Does SA need the blue light VIP protection unit?The discussion comes hot on the heels of a controversial video involving the South African Police Service’s VIP protection unit attached to Deputy President Paul Mashatile Armed men from the unit can be seen assaulting three civilians on the N1 highway in Fourways.
Read more »
CARTOON | VIP unit assault harms Mashatile's bid for highest officeDeputy President Paul Mashatile's protectors besmirched his image this past week when video footage of his VIP protection unit assaulting members of the SA National Defence Force on the N1 in Johannesburg went viral.
Read more »
VIP blue-light unit victim sues for R1mThe legal representatives for some of the victims in the assault by members of the VIP protection unit have confirmed that none of the officers has officially been charged, despite damning footage showing their faces and the assault.
Read more »
VIP blue-light unit victim sues for R1mThe legal representatives for some of the victims in the assault by members of the VIP protection unit have confirmed that none of the officers has officially been charged, despite damning footage showing their faces and the assault.
Read more »
Fred Khumalo | SA is a nation in perpetual pain and systematically brutalised | City Press'Being the cynic that I am, I sometimes think the speeding is not necessary. It is simply a display of power by the VIP thugs.' writes Fred Khumalo. Do you agree?
Read more »
Blue light VIP thugs are being politically protected, experts fear | City PressThe police’s own regulations specifically provide for an expeditious disciplinary process to be followed where gross misconduct is involved. The fact that this isn't being followed suggests the officers could expect a mere slap on the wrist.
Read more »