Eight of Mashatile’s VIP protection unit officers have been suspended

The attack was caught on camera by a passenger travelling on the highway.

The officers were shown pulling the driver out of a blue VW Polo and assaulting him, and two other passengers were also assaulted.

According to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe all eight police officers that were involved in the N1 assault case have been suspended in terms of the SAPS disciplinary regulations as of Monday, July 10 2023

This comes after it was reported that the three victims, who are attached to the SANDF, opened a case against the Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s VIP protection officers who assaulted them on the N1 in Johannesburg.

“The victims were en route from Johannesburg to Pretoria when a black SUV appeared next to their vehicle while one of the occupants of the SUV was pointing a firearm at the victims’ vehicle,” said SA Defence Union national secretary general, Pikkie Greeff.

“The victims’ vehicle was subsequently boxed in by more SUVs and forced to the left side of the N1 highway. The occupants of the SUV exited their vehicles, surrounding the victims’ vehicle and attempted to smash the windscreen of the victims’ vehicle and assault the occupants of the vehicle,” he said.`