The SA National Defence Union has shed some light on the circumstances that led to the three men seen being brutally assaulted by a group of six VIP protection officers this week, saying they were pushed off the road and firearms were pointed at them while driving on the N1 highway in Joburg.
The union's secretary, Pikkie Greeff said the three victims - who are all attached to the SANDF - were boxed in and aggressively pushed to the side of the road by the VIP officers who were driving in two police-owned BMW X5s.
The VIP officers have since been revealed to be attached to Deputy President Paul Mashatile, although he was not present in any of the cars when the incident took place earlier this week.
Greeff said one of the victims was a member of the union, while two others were still military trainees.
Greeff said the soldiers were travelling from Johannesburg to Pretoria when the incident, which has caused national fury against the blue lights brigade, occurred.
He said at least one of the VIP police officers pointed a firearm at the victims while they were being pushed off the road in their blue VW Polo with NKR (Ladysmith) licence plates.
He explained that the victims were boxed in by more SUVs and forced to stop on the left lane of the N1 freeway before being brutally assaulted and kicked.
Video of the incident showed the VIP officers attempting to smash the windscreen of the victims' car, upon failing to smash the windscreen, they broke the rear window and assaulted them as they lay on the ground.
The police watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) had interviewed the soldiers on Tuesday, and advised them not to speak to SAPS officers, while the Ipid investigation continues.
Ipid confirmed on Wednesday that it had opened a case of assault, malicious damage to property and pointing of a firearm against the SAPS VIP officers, at the Sandton Police Station.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe told television news channel eNCA that Ipid was leading the criminal investigation against the officers and they supported the Ipid investigation.
SAPS was also instituting its own internal disciplinary investigation on the matter.
Mathe said four VIP members involved in the incident had been identified and served with letters expressing an intention to suspend. She said they were expected to provide reasons as to why they should not be suspended.
– This story has been updated.
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