DA’s Cameron asks why Mashatile’s VIP protectors still employed as witness gives details of assault

DA parliamentary candidate Ian Cameron has criticised the South African Police Services (Saps) for “dragging disciplinary” proceedings against eight VIP protection officers who assaulted two off duty soldiers on the side of the N1 highway last year.

Mashatile’s protection officers in court

The eight bodyguards were part of Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s security detail.

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DA Shadow MP Andrew Whitfield was alongside Cameron at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court where the bodyguards appeared.

The VIP protection officers are appearing in court after they were filmed assaulting off duty soldiers on the N1 highway. The video went viral on social media at the time.

The men are charged with a number of charges, including four counts for the pointing of a firearm, two counts for reckless and negligent driving, one for malicious damage to property, three for assault, and one for attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

According to Cameron, one of the witnesses was on the stand and he gave a blow-by-blow account of what happened on that day.

He said the defence had tried to argue that the motorists were trying to disturb Mashatile’s motorcade and that was the reason they were attacked.

“This is infuriating. The fact that 10 months later and the disciplinary proceedings against these guys have not concluded is infuriating,” Cameron said.

Video clip admissible

Cameron claimed the defence had also tried to argue that the video clip that went viral on social media could not be admissible but the magistrate had ruled that it was.

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He described the witness as brave for facing the eight men who could possibly enjoy political protection from the deputy president’s office.

“The witness that has been on the stand for the last two days has been remarkable and was brave to face those guys,” he said.

Cameron said he expected the trial to continue for a few more days.

“This trial is not just about the violent assault and excessive use of force; it is about what Minister Bheki Cele’s incompetence and his ego have done to the Saps. [Police] Minister Cele has created a culture of impunity within Saps, where members of the Saps VIP protection unit, together with many other Saps members, have developed a flagrant disregard for the rights of citizens because there is little to no consequence management within the Saps,” Cameron said.

Witness said he thought he was going to be hijacked

News24 reported that the witness told the court he thought Mashatile’s protectors were criminals that were trying to hijack him.

He said the incident happened so quickly but he remembers men pointing guns at him and forcing him to stop his car. He also remembered being struck with the butt of a gun by one of the VIP protection members.