The family of one of the victims of the N1 assault by the VIP protection unit attached to Deputy President Paul Mashatile says they are still shocked and traumatised by the incident.
Brother to one of the victims, who requested to remain anonymous for security reasons, says this is something that he does not wish upon anyone.
He says the fourth occupant of the vehicle who was a female, was fortunate to escape unharmed. He says police are supposed to play a protection role, but are doing the opposite.
“The family is very traumatised, myself I’m very sad. I’m actually angry for what has happened. It’s frustrating to see the ones we care for having to go through these incidents. To see people who should like protect you, who don’t actually do that, it’s worrying. I mean citizens should feel protected by our police,” he says.
All eight VIP blue light police officers that were involved in the N1 assault case have been suspended in terms of the SAPS disciplinary regulations. In a statement, the SAPS says it wishes not to discuss the matter further.
In a video taken by a motorist that viral on social media, members of deputy president’s VIP protection unit were recorded assaulting a motorist and passengers on the N1 in Johannesburg, near Sandton.
All the victims are trainees at the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
Civil society organisation, Action Society, is now representing the victim, Lvaughn Fisher, who was dragged from his vehicle, and assaulted by several VIP unit members.
Director for Community Safety at Action Society, Ian Cameron, explaining what happened before the video was taken, says, “He thought they were being hijacked. Suddenly, there was a black SUV in front of him, another to the right of the vehicle and they were were pushing them to the side. They pointed an assault rifle at him. They stopped close to the rails on the side of the road.”
Cameron adds, “They tried to open the driver door, they smashed the back right hand window. They then hit the victim with the butt of the rifle in his right jaw and also his ear. He lost consciousness from the force and was dragged as we saw in the video.”
Highway assault victims thought they were being hijacked, open a case:
