VIP Protection attack: Thugs must pay the price

If he hasn’t burned in hell by now, Haitian dictator “Papa Doc” Duvalier is probably spinning in his grave with admiration at how Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s thugs beat up young military trainees on the N1 highway over the weekend.

In his heyday, Papa Doc’s “Tontons Macoute” gangs did more or less the same in terrorising the populace of that island into accepting that he was the power and he had to be obeyed.

That, of course, was expected of rulers of banana republics in the ’60s – and perhaps our ANC overlords expect the same of us, deep into the 21st century.

After all, our comrades in Zanu-PF north of the Zambezi have employed their VIP protection units for decades to intimidate – and even attack – innocent motorists across Zimbabwe.

Our ubiquitous blue light brigades – which transport even lowly mayors from one-horse towns and cost taxpayers R2 billion a year – are the ego jewellery our politicians so love as they lead us down the road to a failed state.

Apparently, Mashatile was not present when the attack took place – making it all the more reprehensible because there was no clear and present danger to any VIP.

Perhaps the serfs did not get out of the way fast enough for these Knights of the Clown Table…

The incident shows poor training and discipline which is probably the biggest threat to the high-value VIP cargo the protectors should be watching over.

The glaringly conspicuous convoys themselves also violate one of the rules of close protection: blend in.

Yet, the blue lights and sirens are perfect target indicators.

These thugs must not be allowed to get away with it. They should be charged with assault with intent to do grievous bodily and should be sued for millions in civil court.

Otherwise, we will just be another Haiti.