South Africa: Probe into VIP Protection Road Rage Incident

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has launched an investigation into a road rage incident involving members of a governmental VIP unit who allegedly assaulted a motorist and two passengers.

According to reports, the incident took place on Monday, 3 July, along the N1 highway in Johannesburg, Gauteng.

Twitter has spread video footage of the alleged altercation, which shows at least six armed, plain-clothes members of the Presidential Protection Services (PPS) exiting their black luxury vehicles (colloquially referred to as “blue light brigade”), then dragging the driver and two of his passengers out of a nearby blue Volkswagen before beating them.

The incident has drawn widespread outrage from across the country and social media, with many decrying the violence employed and demanding that the perpetrators be brought to book.

Democratic Alliance Member of Parliament, Andrew Whitfield, shared his condemnation while tweeting: “I will do everything in my power to ensure that these Blue Light Bullies are brought to book … will be demanding that [Minister of Police Bheki Cele] ensure SAPS arrest these thugs within 24 hours.”

SAPS Brigadier Athlenda Mathe explained that the PPS officers had been served with letters of intent to suspend.