Bail for ‘Blue Light Bullies’ a tragedy: Action Society

Director for Community Safety at Action Society, Ian Cameron has lambasted the granting of bail to the eight police officers accused of violently assaulting three members of the public on the N1 highway in Johannesburg last month.

He was reacting to Magistrate Hleziphi Mkhasibe granting bail to all eight accused in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday morning.

The officers, who are part of Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s VIP Protection Services Unit, are charged with pointing a firearm, damage to property, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, reckless and negligent driving and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

BREAKING: The eight police officers accused of violently assaulting three members of the public on the N1 highway in Johannesburg last month, have been granted bail of R10 000 each at the Randburg Magistrates Court #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/T7cepAWP3r

— Prabashini Naicker (@bashini_naicker) August 1, 2023

Cameron accused the court of giving the officers special treatment.

“We feel that it’s a tragedy that these blue light mafia thugs got bail. If it were ordinary citizens and we’d been waving firearms and kicking someone to bits on the ground, breaking their vehicle, we would not have easily gotten bail.”

“But it seems that you get certain treatment when you serve on a certain police unit. I don’t agree at all that the state does not have a strong case, how much stronger must you want it to be. If this was the private sector they would be sacked already,” adds Cameron.

The video below is reporting on the previous court appearance: