By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Police Minister Bheki Cele says Deputy President Paul Mashatile was not in one of the two cars, where eight members of his VIP protection assaulted motorists on the N1 highway last month in Johannesburg.
Cele and National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, including the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), appeared before Parliament’s portfolio committee on police to brief MPs on related SAPS matters.
The minister said Mashatile was part of the convoy, but he did not witness the incident, as he was already at home when the assault happened.
He said the eight members of the VIP protection service had pulled away from the main convoy to deal with the members of the South African National Defence who were on the N1.
Mashatile’s security detail was caught on camera assaulting the three people.
Cele told the portfolio committee he has taken note of comments regarding his silence on the matter since the video went viral.
When the thing happened, I was out of the country, I was in Kinshasa. The acting police minister, the national police commissioner, Ipid and the deputy president have spoken on the matter. So, really there was nothing new.
“There was nothing new that one would have come up with other than fill the gaps, as one has filled the gaps in calling for the police to be cooperative on the matter and doing what they are supposed to do,” Cele said.
Cele also urged MPs to allow the law to take its course.
“I do not understand if, and when police respond to such situations, it is regarded as police brutality. South African police are one of those services that are practising their work under brutal situations. Many criminals plan and eliminate police officers,” he said.
“These members deal with people that kill their own kids and wives. South African police members are recruited from the very same society. They do not differ much on the behaviour that South Africans are doing.
“The apple does not fall far from the tree.”
At the same time, IPID’s acting director of IPID Tiiso Makoloane defended the amount of time it took to arrest the cops, saying they had to investigate the case thoroughly.
“Investigations involve a number of aspects. You cannot just investigate and take a decision based on what you see at face value. You need to go deeper and gather information, confirming the crime scene, interview the witnesses, getting medical records so that we see whether the case meets the definition of assault GBH.
“We have done our level best in terms of the investigation. We are finalising from our side. If there is more information required by the court regarding the case, we will definitely do that,” said Makoloane.
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola confirmed the officers remain on suspension with pay.
“The policy currently with suspension, it is with pay except for the days when they were in incarceration.”
The officers appeared in the Randburg Magistrates’ Court earlier this month and were each released on R10 000 bail. They face 12 charges, including assault, malicious damage to property, discharging a firearm, contravening the Road Traffic Act, reckless and negligent driving, and attempting to defeat the ends of justice. They all pleaded not guilty.
Their case was postponed to September 27 for further investigations.