Acquittal of Paul Mashatile bodyguards in highway assault case sparks outrage
The officers were filmed in July 2023 assaulting two members of the public on a highway, with footage showing them dragging a man from his car and kicking him.
FILE: Deputy President of South Africa Paul Mashatile. Picture: X/PresidencyZA
CapeTalk's Lester Kiewit is joined by Ian Cameron, Chair of the Portfolio Committee on Police.
Listen below:
Cameron says he will be approaching the Minister of Police and the National Commissioner to demand an explanation for the acquittal by SAPS of eight VIP unit members who were filmed assaulting two members of the public.
He says the ruling is 'shameful, indefensible and immoral'.
Footage of the assault went viral in July 2023.
Video clips showed individuals, later identified as part of Deputy President Paul Mashatile's security detail, dragging a man from his car and assaulting him.
The driver and his two passengers were reportedly kicked in the head by the armed officers.
Cameron says there is a simple 'yes' or 'no' question that SAPS needs to answer.
"And that is, is it OK for a SAPS member to blatantly assault an innocent member of the public?"
- Ian Cameron, Chair - Portfolio Committee on Police
"According to this disciplinary, it is OK and they can act with impunity."
- Ian Cameron, Chair - Portfolio Committee on Police
Cameron says questions can also be raised about the procedure of the disciplinary.
"When you see the report and look at the amount of delays and frustrations in the matter, one must ask whether it was constructively done."
- Ian Cameron, Chair - Portfolio Committee on Police
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