Mashatile was not in the vehicle during VIP assault incident: Cele

Police Minister Bheki Cele says Deputy President Paul Mashatile was not in one of the two cars, where eight members of his VIP convoy allegedly assaulted motorists on the N1 highway near Sandton in Johannesburg last month.

Cele appeared before Parliament’s Police committee to shed more light on the viral video incident which depicted the policemen assaulted motorists and pointed rifles at them.

The eight officers have since appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court, on charges of pointing a firearm, damage to property, assault, reckless and negligent driving and defeating ends of justice.

They are on bail of R10 000 each. Cele says there were seven vehicles in the convoy and only two pulled over.

“The DP was in the convoy, was not on the crime scene, where two of his cars pulled off to deal with this matter. Talking to him, he realised when he was home, he didn’t realise until later about that incident.”