Former EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee's law firm has vowed to sue alleged VIP protection members who assaulted motorists and passengers on the N1 highway in Johannesburg.
A video of the incident, which went viral on Monday, showed more than six members of the unit dragging and kicking a group on the ground. One of the assaulted men was left lying on the side of the road.
The incident happened on the N1 highway near Woodmead, north of Johannesburg. TimesLIVE established the Volkswagen which the victims were travelling in belongs to a 31-year-old from Ladysmith.
Police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said the victims were being traced and an internal departmental investigation was under way. She said a preliminary report indicated the BMW driven by the alleged VIP officers belongs to the police and the men are members of the police.
National police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola said police are “meant to uphold and protect the fundamental rights of every person and exercise the powers conferred upon them in a responsible and controlled manner”.
“Such action cannot be condoned regardless of the circumstance,” said Masemola.
The incident sparked widespread outrage, with many calling for justice.
Gardee and his law firm, Gardee Godrich Attorneys, urged the victims to contact them, adding: “We can sue them [the VIP protection members]. We can get them jailed to serve time. Let them DM us. We fear fo**l”.
If they contact us, we will attempt to get them justice. https://t.co/dwDOU4F9l3
— Godrich Gardee (@GardeeGodrich) July 3, 2023
DA MP Andrew Whitfield said he would do everything in his power to ensure “blue light bullies are brought to book”.
“I have already engaged the executive director of Ipid and will be demanding that [police] minister [Bheki] Cele ensures SAPS arrest these thugs within 24 hours.”
Build One SA leader Mmusi Maimane called it “thuggery” and said “[President Cyril] Ramaphosa, ministers and their blue lights are becoming a menace to the people”, while others called for a ban on blue light brigades.
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba said those responsible should be held to account.
Here is a glimpse of some of the reactions online:
This is thuggery @CyrilRamaphosa, ministers and their blue lights are becoming a menace to the people! https://t.co/lShAQIW9ck
— Mmusi Maimane MP (@MmusiMaimane) July 3, 2023
What is going on here???
— Herman Mashaba (@HermanMashaba) July 3, 2023
This disgusting behaviour must be held to account.
We live in a country where VIP security gets more money and power than real policing.
No wonder the rule of law has collapsed! https://t.co/7yMmkBoi1f
If you believe a short video clip tells the whole story - I have a bridge to sell you.
— Creditable Investor (@CreditableInves) July 3, 2023
These criminal SAPS members from VIP protection unit are nothing but political bouncers. This is why I say the ANC is a criminal syndicate posing as a political party. pic.twitter.com/wgoVd3vCxc
— Ian Cameron (@IanCameron23) July 3, 2023
Watching this video of South African police beating up a motorist for getting in the way of a Blue Lights VIP convoy today reminded me of how Zimbabwe started collapsing into a heap of an undesirable State!
— Hopewell Chin’ono (@daddyhope) July 3, 2023
It all started with citizens losing their rights like this with the… pic.twitter.com/iDSNeqcavj
South Africans pay R3 Billion a year for this ‘VIP protection’ - the impunity of ANC leaders matched by the thuggery of those who ‘protect’ them. 🇿🇦 https://t.co/ZoA6AaSqO8
— Simon Grindrod (@SimonPGrindrod) July 3, 2023
This just angers me, this goes way beyond gatvol. There is absolutely no negotiations with evil like this. They attack a family, they kicked the father in his throat. Look at how they kick that child in the head 😡. Note the number plate. https://t.co/H3uI1ro224 pic.twitter.com/KKNCnkdo3I
— Marcia Barron (@MarciaBarron777) July 3, 2023
I dont know whether it's our Education system or what. The questions requests context like: was the civilian vehicle blocking the VIP Security retinue? People rudely respond "you know, you can see what's going on..". Mina I dont know. I also want to know the context, the story
— Mtho (@Mtho_Sibiya) July 4, 2023
Correction: This might have been the PSS, another division of the SAPS’s VIP Protection Services which falls under the same leadership and handles lesser VIPs. So I should have included that in the original tweet and my comments refer to SAPS VIP protection in general.
— Darren Olivier (@darren_olivier) July 3, 2023
Every single one of them should be disarmed and fired.
— Barry Bateman (@barrybateman) July 3, 2023
They must be charged with assault GBH, even attempted murder, and unlawfully pointing of firearms.
Will @SAPoliceService protect this lot, or do the correct thing and ensure they are prosecuted?
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