- IPID has confirmed it is interviewing the motorists assaulted by the police’s VIP unit.
- Earlier on Tuesday, Deputy President Paul Mashatile‘s office confirmed the officers in the video were part of his detail.
- Civil rights organisation Action Society says it hopes to obtain a mandate from the victims.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has confirmed the motorists assaulted by members of the police’s VIP unit in Gauteng were being interviewed by investigators.
“The victims are being interviewed by our investigators as we speak,” IPID spokesperson Robbie Raburabu said on Tuesday afternoon.
Earlier on Tuesday, Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s office said the officers in the video were part of his protection detail.
However, his spokesperson, Vukani Mde, said Mashatile was not present when the incident took place.
The video has caused outrage over the officers’ treatment of the motorists.
READ | Mashatile’s office says VIP cops seen assaulting people are part of his detail, but he wasn’t there
The footage starts with one of the men being dragged out of their vehicle, a metallic blue VW.
Several officers have their weapons drawn, while at least two of them can be seen kicking the men as they lie on the ground.
Civil rights organisation Action Society said it hoped to obtain a mandate from the victims to investigate civil charges against the minister of police.
“It is absolutely disgusting to see the behaviour of these thugs who call themselves police members. They are criminals and should be prosecuted,” the organisation’s Ian Cameron said.
“Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated incident, and these police officers are being led from the top.”
He added:
Cases of police brutality are on the rise and the minister of police isn’t doing anything to condemn cases like these.
The anti-crime group has launched a campaign to have the VIP unit banned.
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