Action Society suspicious of internal SAPS decision to clear Mashatile’s former bodyguards

Civil rights group Action Society believes an internal decision by South African Police Service (SAPS) to clear Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s former bodyguards amid a criminal probe is suspicious.

The eight men, who are attached to the SAPS VIP Presidential Protection Unit, appeared before the Randburg Magistrates on Thursday, where they failed to get their charges dropped.

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The Section 174 discharge application, brought by the accused officers, was dismissed on the main charges of assault and damage to property by Magistrate Abdul Khan.

In July 2023, a video surfaced online showing the officers allegedly assaulting civilians on the side of the Johannesburg N1 highway.

In May, the SAPS cleared the eight officers of all wrongdoing in an internal probe.

A final report of the probe shows the disciplinary hearing committee did not admit into evidence the viral video of the alleged assault, as it could not prove its authenticity.

However, the same video has been accepted as evidence in the criminal trial.

Action Society spokesperson Juanita du Preez said, “It gets people thinking, why are they pulling ranks together? Why were they not found guilty in the disciplinary hearing and why are they still working? Is the corruption in police not just on top, as we have seen in the [Madlanga] Commission, or is it everywhere?”

The trial resumes on 23 March 2026, with the defence set to call their first witness.

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