Johannesburg - The eight VIP members of the security detail of Deputy President Paul Mashatile have arrived at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court.
The court will start any moment.
Due to public interest, a number of people called for the court to deny the suspect bail.
The suspects handed themselves over at the Sandton police station on Sunday.
A number of advocacy groups cried foul and questioned why the police watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), did not make arrests earlier.
The suspects were held overnight in the police station detention cells. They are facing charges of assault, malicious damage to property, and discharging a firearm.
The group was captured on camera earlier this month assaulting three civilians on the N1 highway near Fourways, north of Johannesburg.
The video, which went viral on social media, brought sharp focus to the blue-light brigade in the country.
Watch: DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimang arrives at the Randburg magistrate court for the appearance of the arrested eight police officers of the VIP protection service unit who are alleged to have assaulted three people on a highway in Johannesburg earlier this month. pic.twitter.com/sdWVSkORQc
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Ipid spokesperson Robbie Raburabu said when one is investigating a matter, they need to stick to what is needed in terms of proving their case in court.
‘’So until you are ready to take the case to court, you don't want to embarrass yourself by taking a case to court that is not ready. So you have to have the case ready. So we wanted to be sure that everything that we have is going to stand in court, hence the delay,’’ said Raburabu.
The victims are currently training in the military; Raburabu said Ipid had to go through authorities to access them.
DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga, who is attending the court case, said they were here to be in solidarity with the victims and want to see justice.
‘’We are here today because for years, we have been saying that the state must stop abusing its power, especially the blue light brigade. We have seen time and time again how motorists are being shaved off the road and accidents are being caused. And now the latest is where young people were harassed and assaulted, and we are here to stand in solidarity with them,’’ said Msimanga.
He said the young people were brutally assaulted and insulted.
‘’We are here to make sure that the court does what needs to be done, and hopefully, this then begins to send a message to the government to then say, you know, the VIP are the people that should be protected, and those are the everyday people, not what we are seeing where people are being shoved off the road, where people are being beaten up, and this is something that we are here today to come and say that we stand with those people, and we want to see justice being done,’’ he said.
IRS Forensic Investigative CEO Chad Thomas said both the SAPS and Ipid moved fairly quickly for the arrest of the suspects.
‘’The SAPS and Ipid are sending a clear message that they are not going to entertain a situation of so-called holy cows within the service. The state has followed due process, and if one looks into other cases where it has taken a long time to be enrolled, this case is being enrolled fairly quickly,’’ Thomas said.
The Star