Video of South African deputy president’s security stomping on man sparks outrage, probe underway

A group of armed officers dressed in plain clothes assigned to protect South Africa’s Deputy President Paul Mashatile were seen dragging a man out of his car and stomping on his head until he was motionless. The incident was caught on camera and has since been widely shared online, sparking outrage and drawing attention to the country’s problem with police brutality.

The deputy president’s office on Tuesday (July 4) confirmed that the officers involved were part of the security team protecting Mashatile. A statement by Mashatile’s office said the incident happened in Johannesburg over the weekend and that he “abhors any unnecessary use of force, particularly against unarmed civilians.”

What do we know about the incident?

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The video posted on Twitter shows some officers dressed in suits,holding rifles, and dragging a man out of his car. Subsequently, the officers went on to kick and stomp on him till he was lying on his back motionless. Theywere also seen kicking a man who was holding his arms over his head to protest himself.

The footage shows some seven officers were involved, with at least three of them kicking and stomping on the men while two others were seen holding their rifles. A third man was also seen on the side of the road near the victims but it was not immediately clear if he was beaten or not.

TRIGGER WARNING: The visuals may be disturbing to some users. Viewer discretion is advised.WION is not responsible for the content of the video.

The video also shows a woman briefly stepping out of the vehicle, from which the man had presumably been dragged out, holding her hands above her head during the incident. The officers then proceeded to drive away in two SUVs.

The video of the alleged assault was shot by a person sitting in another car who was not involved and posted it on the microblogging platform.

The country'sIndependent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) said the department has launched a probe into 3,407 complaints of unlawful assault by police officers in the 2021-2022 financial year. This would amount to nearly 10 complaints per day.

South Africa’s ‘blue light brigade’

According to reports, officers involved in the beating belonged to South Africa’s infamous “blue light brigade” which has a reputation for using unnecessary force.

The unit’s officers have also previously been criticised for driving down highways at high speed and using force against drivers who do not immediately recognise the small blue lights and sirens of their vehicles and move out of the way, reported the Associated Press.

The officers of this unit are also tasked with protecting South African politicians and other VIPs.

The investigation so far

Amid public outcry over the incident, IPID which deals with cases of misconduct by police launched an investigation into the alleged assault of the driver of the car and passengers by the officers.

In an update, on Tuesday, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said that they have successfully traced the victims of this incident and will take their statements as a part of the probe.

“The police officers involved have also been identified and will be subjected to internal processes,” said the national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe.

This comes after the South African police had said that it “distances itself from the conduct and behaviour depicted in the video” as it does not align with its values and code of conduct.

“Members of the SAPS are meant to uphold and protect the fundamental rights of every person and exercise the powers conferred upon them in a responsible and controlled manner,” said South Africa’s national police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola.

He added, “Such action cannot be condoned regardless of the circumstance.”

(With inputs from agencies)

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