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Firearms and assault charges for VIP Protection Unit officers after N1 attack

The eight VIP protection officers involved in a brutal N1 assault on motorists face serious charges ranging from assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm to the pointing of a firearm and malicious damage to property. They handed themselves in on Sunday night and appeared in court on Monday.
Firearms and assault charges for VIP Protection Unit officers after N1 attack iStock | Deputy President Paul Mashatile. (Photo: Gallo Images / Beeld / Deaan Vivier)
Julia Evans
By Julia Evans
23 Jul 2023
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Assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm, malicious damage to property and the illegal pointing of a firearm are the charges being brought against eight VIP police officers who were allegedly involved in a brutal assault on motorists on the N1 in Gauteng earlier in July. 

Robbie Raburabu, spokesperson for the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), set out these charges and said the eight will be in court on Monday 24 July 2023.

Ipid started its investigation on 4 July. 

Raburabu added that the victims of the assault were traced to the South African National Defence Force headquarters in Thaba Tshwane where they are trainers. 

“The suspects will hand themselves over tonight at the police station where they will be processed in preparation for their appearance at the Randburg Magistrate's Court tomorrow,” Raburabu said.

The eight police officers have been suspended in terms of SAPS disciplinary regulations since Monday, 10 July, SAPS national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said previously.

The officers are members of the SAPS Protection and Security Services programme attached to the protection detail of Deputy President Paul Mashatile.

vip protection iStock | Deputy President Paul Mashatile. (Photo: Gallo Images / Beeld / Deaan Vivier)



They were caught on video by a motorist who filmed the attack on three people on the N1 highway between Johannesburg and Pretoria. 

The video, which grabbed the public’s attention on social media, shows how the police officers, driving a black BMW, stopped on the N1, dragged a man to the edge of the road and began punching and kicking him. 

The video also shows another man who appears to be lying unconscious on the side of the road.



Shortly after the incident, Mashatile’s office confirmed that the suspect belonged to his protection unit but said he was not in the vehicle. 

After the incident, there were several calls for the VIP Protection Units to be reined in. 

The officers will be named once they have appeared in court. DM

This article was updated to include an image of some of the suspects handing themselves in on Sunday night ahead of their court appearance on Monday. 

Comments (3)

Gordon Bentley Jul 25, 2023, 12:34 PM

These blue light brigades are, decidedly, a whole heap of pig shit and must end. I was involved in a minor incident going down to Durban in my "boere bakkie" to pick up supplies. I was in the the right lane doing the mandatory 100 to 120 kph . When lo and behold an upmarket SUV driven by a lady appeared very quickly in my rear view mirror. She was expecting me to move over, then began to flash her lights at me, aggressively. This began to irritate me, I would move with no problem for normal drivers if the traffic situation was safe to do so. I then noticed she was about to pass me on the left hand side. I put pedal to the metal, giving my bakkie a big throat of diesel and blocked her from cutting into the right lane, ahead of me. I decided, "to hell with this government person," who was a dangerous threat to me and other motorists. Not long after, I was delighted to note, she had been pulled over by the KZN traffic cops. I just had to go and put my oar in by saying that I would also like to add that she nearly caused a high speed accident by passing me on the left hand side. To cut a long story short I was told by the cops that they were dealing with this. They added that she was an important government ministerial assistant and had to be somewhere fast... I was not impressed. I suggested that she should be pulled off the road because she was a danger to me and other motorists, all because she could not get up early enough... ! This did not impress the lady.

Bruce Anderson Jul 24, 2023, 10:12 PM

A deeper ‘review’ needs to be considered here. Why does Paul Mashatile need 8 off duty bodyguards? By extension, as best he as 12 or 16 contracted to him - why? Who is paying these staff? Why did these men decide to be so aggressive? Have any of the 8 (12,16 ...) been involved in incidents before? How many bodyguards are employed to protects politicians? How many incidents have been recorded/settled? Is the public aware of these incidents/settlements? Who pays for bodyguards? Who pay for settlements? Who pays related legal costs? How many known incidents have been recorded/experienced/prevented as a result of having bodyguards? I could think of a few more questions but I am sure needs analysis will show that the vast majority are unneeded, badly allocated and simply an ego trip.

Jane Crankshaw Jul 25, 2023, 11:02 AM

He needs body guards to access his R36m home in a Gated Estate? Wow…things are a lot worse in SA than we thought!

David Amato Jul 24, 2023, 05:39 PM

One always has to wonder if there was no video footage if it would have been swept under the carpet like was done with Collins Khoza during lockdown.